The Truth is Painful
by Leoshi
Summary: After returning to Vale, Sheba wonders about her heritage. Felix offers his help, and the two set out on a quest for her history. Though they touch corners of the world, they find that her family is nowhere near Weyard. *Sandshipping*. Post TLA. Complete.
1. The Circle is Complete

**The Truth is Painful**

A Felix/Sheba ((Sandshipping?)) fanfic made by the all-powerful Leoshi!

!Disclaimer! I, regretfully, do NOT own Golden Sun 1 or 2, the awesome characters, the gripping storyline, any of the locations, or…_sniff_… the Sol Blade. YOU, however, may have this cookie! It over there, on the floor.

Okay, so this story takes place a few days after Felix and co. manage to save Weyard and make it back to Vale, which practically isn't there anymore. The characters may seem OC, but hey, who do you think I am? Hertz? On with the story!

**Chapter 1:** The Circle is Complete

Sounds of toil and other work could be heard from the base of Mt. Aleph as the residents of Vale proceeded with rebuilding their quaint town. Even though it was thought that all of Vale was swallowed by the earth, most of the plaza remained intact, including the Psynergy Stone. It stood near the edge of the massive hole where the former Vale remained.

Once Felix and Isaac, along with their friends and family, had returned, the whole of the town gathered and celebrated through two nights. After the merriment had finally subsided, the townsfolk got to work, rebuilding what they could and rebuilding what they found. One of the first things built was a long fence, running along the edge of Vale's new hole, to prevent any accidental falls.

"Isaac, mind that post! Be sure you attach the poles correctly this time!" yelled a frustrated Jenna, trying to mend a crooked pole so the whole fence wouldn't collapse.

"Easy for you to say, Jenna!" Isaac shouted back. "You just need to Pound the stakes in! All I have is my own two hands!"

Jenna scoffed as she used Pound on a third post, accidentally causing a crack in it. She silently cursed, trying to push the two broken ends together again. "Great! Now I've got _this_ to deal with!" she said, throwing her arms in the air in exasperation.

Laughter was heard behind her as her mother walked up, carrying the trademark hammer and nails. "Now, now, Jenna, I warned you about that Psynergy! It might be too strong for the wood. Here, see what you can do with these," she said, dropping the items in her daughter's arms. As she returned to her house, she smirked at Jenna's annoyed sigh.

"Aw, blast it! Where is he...Felix! Mom has something for you!!!" Jenna called out. Of course, she had every intention of leaving the tools with her brother - it meant less hard work for her.

Jenna continued to call out a few more times before he finally ran up. "What? What is it, Jenna?"

"Here!" She forced her poor brother to hold the tools. "Make use of these!"

"Wha-Jenna! I thought mom gave these to you! She means for you to use them!" Felix returned the tools, backing away a bit as he did so.

Jenna wouldn't stand for this. "Oh, no she doesn't! Take them, and get moving!" she yelled, about to throw the bag of nails at her brother. However, when she did, she ended up throwing them at the dirt - Felix had once again escaped work by using Sand.

This, of course, angered Jenna greatly, and proceeded with chasing the lump of dirt around the plaza, trying to beat it with the hammer she still held.

All Isaac could do was stand by and watch the antics.

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Work on the town ended shortly after dusk, and all the townsfolk proceeded to Vault, where they had the inn reserved for the next few days. Felix caught up the end of the lines, not only because he kept a sharp eye for any Vermin, but also because Jenna had trapped him between a rock and a hard place. She had managed to unearth him by visiting with Isaac, and - by persuasion and a threatening hammer - he had given her the Scoop Gem. She used the spell when she managed to contain her brother, and he emerged, covered in dirt. He still had some grains of sand stuck in his long hair.

She had warned him of what she would do the next time he used his Psynergy to escape from her, all the while waving the hammer around like a madbeast. Felix had barely heard her - his eyes were fixed on that tool, his mind cooking up many different foul and cruel things a hammer could be capable of.

He shuddered at a thought of Felix Stew.

"Alright, everyone, we're here! Welcome back to Vault!" Garet's grandfather cried out, informing everyone of the arrival.

Felix looked up, glad to be back here. It's not a long walk between the two towns, but he had his sister to avoid. As he gazed around, he caught sight of Ivan and Sheba, both waiting for the townsfolk at Vault's gate. A soft wind was causing their hair to flutter about, and in the gathering moonlight, Sheba looked like a goddess to Felix. His face became rosy at the mental image.

"...Er, Felix? Hello? Is anyone home in there?"

Felix's blush deepened greatly as he realized he had Sheba's attention. He tried to spit out a reason why he was so red, but the only words understandable were "Uh", "Well, you see..." and "...oh, um...". Luckily, Isaac came to his rescue...even if he didn't _mean_ to rescue him.

"Ah, good to see you two! How have things been, Ivan?"

"Just fine. I came up from Kalay not too long ago - figured I'd stop by and greet you. I was surprised to see Sheba here...I though she went to help to Vale, too...?"

"Oh, no, didn't you hear? Those three bandits we caught here have returned, and they actually know how to hide this time! Oh, uh, speaking of which, Sheba? Have you caught them?"

Sheba chuckled lightly as she recalled the antics of the three thieves. "Yes, I did. They managed to climb up that little hill at the edge of town, and hide in the tunnels. I managed to find an easier way in...oh, how many times have I said I love Reveal?"

It was Ivan's turn to laugh. "I stopped counting around thirty-something."

_'Forty-two, actually, counting this time.'_ Felix thought, glancing at Sheba.

"Well, great," Isaac continued, looking toward the town's dungeon. "Ivan, why don't the two of us find Garet, and pay those three a little visit?"

At this, Ivan dawned a mischievous grin. Without a word, the two of them headed for the mayor's house, hoping to find Vale's mayor there, and finally, Garet.

"...So, Felix how have you been recently?" Sheba asked, looking at the boy curiously.

Because of the way she looked at him, Felix flustered for the second time that evening. "Oh, uh, fine! Just fine!"

Sheba giggled at his behavior, and tilted her head as she continued her questions. "Did you find anything during the build?"

Again, for the second time that evening, Felix's blush deepened, this time because, when she cocked her head, the growing moonlight had caught her eyes, making them sparkle, thus dazzling him. He began to wonder if she could hear his heart pounding - he was sure everyone else in town could.

"Um...yeah, actually. I found out that I don't like hammers!" He laughed a bit as he said this, only increasing Sheba's curiosity. He proceeded to relay his run-in with Jenna, the nails, and her new favorite toy. As he finished, he self-consciously picked at his hair, trying to get rid of any more grains of sand. As he was running his hands through his hair one more time, he brushed against some hard and metal.

He turned around, and nearly fainted at the sight.

Jenna's new favorite toy was so close to his face, he could smell the odor of iron and feel how cold the metal was without even touching it. His sister had a devious smirk playing her features, and Sheba, who has sized up the situation in a heartbeat, laughed hysterically.

Felix didn't have time to think of how beautiful her laughter sounded - he melted into the sand beneath him on instinct. Bad move.

**End chapter 1**

Author's comments: Haha, Felix gets his head smashed in! Okay. So let me know what you people think of this so far! And if you didn't see it at the top, this _is_ a Felix/Sheba fic, and they will seem out of character. I'm a romantic guy, okay? Oh, and about the chapter title, I meant a circle of journeying – Golden Sun began in Vale, and Golden Sun: The Lost Age ended in Vale. Since this story begins at the end of their quest, the title seemed nice.

Next chapter: More Sandshipping goodness when Felix and Sheba, as well as four others, get caught in a storm! Maybe Mia will find some screen time; she was off tormenting Garet by using Douse while this fic was being written.


	2. Wind and Rain Makes the Perfect Day

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping fic made by yours truly, Leoshi!

!Disclaimer! Once again, I don't own this wondrous game or anything related to it...except this particular story and all chapters within. I think I might gain rights to the Sol Blade, though...uh oh...here comes Camelot's lawyers! I didn't mean it! GAH!!!

We last left the Truth on a happy note - or, in Felix's case, painful. Felix made Sheba laugh, Jenna found a new toy, and Garet was nowhere to be found...except at the mayor's house. Oh, and I should say that I didn't mean anything by not claiming to be Hertz last time. ((Could you tell _their_ lawyers I said that?))

**Chapter 2:** Wind and Rain Makes the Perfect Day

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Garet shouted, attempting to silence the bustling inn for the day's announcements. Naturally, he was failing, miserably. "Hey, guys! Be quiet! ...Please! Oh, by the elements...Isaac! Help me out here!"

With a chuckle, Isaac use a spell to blow sand in Garet's face. This, of course, made him mad. Because he was mad, he then, of course, walked off in a huff, allowing his father, the mayor of Vale, to stand. As though mocking Garet, the crowd immediately hushed and waited patiently for the announcements.

This, of course, made Garet furious. And, of course, everyone ignored him.

"Ahem. Good morning, everyone," Garet's father began, receiving a scattered reply from the group. "Something new today. The weather is starting to look bleak, and it may turn sour very soon. Now, a select few of us will still head up to Vale to get a better guess as to the weather, as well as to cover the tools, wood, and anything else we'll need. Take a few minutes to discuss this among yourselves and decide who will accompany me."

The mayor stepped down from the crate he used as a stage, and continued a previous conversation with the scholar, Kraden. It was, in fact, Kraden who had suggested visiting Mt. Aleph for a better understanding of the day's weather, since it is the birthplace of the elements. After deciding how soon the mayor should depart, he stood once again, and the crowd fell silent once more. Except for Garet, who muttered something about releasing the Vermin upon the townsfolk.

"Okay then, I shall depart in one hour - that should be enough time to gather all covers needed for protecting the items back at Vale. Have we decided who shall join me?"

Immediately, five people stood - Felix, Jenna, their parents, and Sheba. Also, a squeaky voice called out from the back of the crowd as a small child jumped up and down, calling out "Me! Me!" in hopes of travel. His mother silenced him, causing him to make an adorable pout.

The mayor chuckled, and continued. "Excellent, and thank you. Alright, now that we've got that settled, another matter must be brought to knowledge."

The five people sat down, and waited for the mayor to address the crowd again.

"It has come to my attention that all of you have been doing all you can to infuriate my son, Garet," he continued, indicating his teenage son next to the inn's entrance. This caught Garet's attention, and he looked up, interested. "I just want to say, thank you all."

Laughter erupted in the room, and Garet's face went red with over-exaggeration. The mayor had, of course, meant this topic as a joke, but still his son proceeded to tap his fingers against a nearby windowsill impatiently. He had a scowl on him that caused even more chuckles around the room - mainly from Isaac and Ivan.

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The wind had kicked up a bit as the group of six left Vault, hefting numerous plastic sheets and the occasional metal box. Clouds had gathered near the Bilibin Barricade area - long since taken down - and were heading South toward Vault rather quickly. It was soon decided that they would have a _very_ short time to get to Vale, get done, and get back to Vault before the rain came.

It was a challenge - it took nearly all of them to completely pin down a single sheet around a stack of wooden posts. As such, Felix often found himself working next to Sheba, the girl he's protected for a half-year, and secretly admired the whole time. It didn't make the work go any easier, since he would become flustered and wouldn't grip an end of a sheet tight enough. Naturally, then, she would giggle, making him even more nervous.

"Felix, come on!" Jenna shouted over the strong winds. "Get your head together and help us!"

"Everyone, we need to finish soon! The stormclouds are here!" Felix's father yelled, forcing a large stone on a corner of the sheet he and the mayor were struggling with. As he finished, a few telltale drops fell on their heads.

Felix shook his head to clear his thoughts and concentrate on his work, ignoring the water and wind. He silently wished Piers or Mia had stayed with them a bit longer – either of them, together with Sheba or Ivan, could have stalled this storm another hour or so. He missed his two friends, but he couldn't worry about them now. A flash of translucent white shimmered in the corner of his eye – clearly, some of the sheets weren't being held down tightly enough, as two had already been blown away by the strong winds. The two proceeded to ride the wind toward the Karagol Sea.

"Agh...! Alright, forget this!" Jenna exclaimed to her brother, Pounding a stone into a corner, and soon doing the same to the other three. "We don't have time to get all of them! Finish what you can, and let's get back to Vault!"

Felix squinted through the gathering rain, trying hard to hear the young Mars Adept, to little avail. He understood, however, and allowed her to hastily Pound his stone deep into the ground. Satisfied, he ran over to his father, telling him that they needed to get done and get going. Speaking now wouldn't do much good - the rain had come with a vengeance, drowning out any other sound - so he simply nodded, and followed his son to the center of the plaza.

Everyone gathered around Felix, knowing what he was about to do. He offered his arms, and soon everyone gripped some part of them. Of course, he had noticed Sheba nearly grasping his hand. He cleared his head again, and focused...and soon they were all enveloped in flashes of blue light. Psynergenetic waves pulsated around the entire group of six as Felix continued his spell. Near the end of his Psynergy, he was clenching his teeth in frustration - it had been a while since he had used this spell.

In a flash and a long, whooshing sigh from Felix, they were back at Vault's gate. The Venus Adept nearly collapsed from the amount of energy he had used, but several hands still grasped his arms, so he didn't fall and get a face full of mud. The small party walked back into the inn, soaked to the bone.

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"So, tell me, why couldn't you use Teleport to get us from Vault to Vale, and back again?"

Felix continued pressing a towel to his hair, always absorbing more water with each pass. "...What? You're joking, right? I haven't used the spell since Prox, and I had forgotten how hard it was to use it in the first place! Remember, I nearly collapsed after bringing us all back, so how did you expect me to Teleport us there?"

Jenna scowled, and looked away, mock offended. "Hmph. Fine, I guess I'll just go talk with Isaac!" she declared, walking off comically.

Felix shook his head in a don't-know-don't-care fashion, and placed the now saturated towel in a bin. He looked around, seeing Garet conversing with Ivan over some legend of a pirate called Deadbeard. Garet was almost shouting that Ivan was wrong in every aspect, but restrained himself quickly. "I still don't believe in pirate tales," he said, even though secretly, his interest was aroused.

Felix's gaze moved on, and he followed his sister, who was now chasing poor Isaac, her hammer drawn. Apparently, Isaac had said something she found offense in, and wanted to make him pay. She was ignoring his pleas and apologies, but was soon stopped by her parents. She said something about everyone being on Isaac's side after her mother took away her toy. Jenna, who was only faking anger, stormed off in search of another blunt object to call her own.

Finally, Felix's gaze stopped at Sheba, staring out a window at the hard rain outside. She had a thoughtful look plastered on her face. It might have been the lack of light where she was, but Felix noticed she looked…upset. She was sighing more than usual, and blinking a lot, as though holding back tears. Worried, Felix stood and walked over to the Jupiter Adept.

"Hey, you feeling alright?" he asked, surprising her. She relaxed when she saw it was her friend, and nodded, smiling slightly. Her smile was an attempt to hide her sadness, and it failed – Felix did notice her teary eyes.

"I'm not so sure you are, Sheba."

She gazed down, realizing that he knew something was wrong. "Sorry," she began, looking up. "I've been…thinking about before our quest started."

Felix considered that before understanding what she meant. "You mean, when you were under Babi's care in Tolbi?"

She shook her head. "Earlier than that. Much earlier."

He narrowed his eyes in confusion, obviously not sure what she meant. He asked her if anything happened in Lalivero before Babi Lighthouse was built, but again, she said no. After thinking some more, he gave in. "I quit; what do you mean?"

Sheba laughed quietly at his choice of words, and answered. "I was wondering about how…or rather, why, I fell into Lalivero. I mean, I must have a blood family, right?"

"Oh, yeah!" Felix exclaimed, finally understanding. "I've often thought about that, too. And yeah, you should have a family somewhere. Faran was just your adoptive father, right?"

She nodded, turning her gaze back to the window. "Yes, he was. And even though I would rather be with this group…he's still family to me.

Felix was confused. "Sorry, what? You would sooner be here than with your actual family?" he asked. He had heard of many people who would blow off their closest friends to spend another day with their fathers. To hear of someone doing the opposite was a surprise.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I would love to know where I came from and who my parents are…but I know you, Jenna, and everyone else so much better than them. I would feel like I'm leaving a great family for a horrible one…I would feel like a traitor…" she explained.

Realization dawned on the Venus Adept after she had made her point, and he nodded his understanding. "I see. Well, don't worry. I know I would understand if you felt like you needed to leave. But," he continued, grinning in a silly way, "I would like it if you came by for a visit every so often!"

Sheba giggled, turning to face her friend. "Absolutely," she replied simply.

Felix smiled even more, and, like Sheba had done moments ago, gazed out the window. He noticed that the winds had slackened, indicating that the worst of the storm was past. He sighed peacefully, making a comment.

"You know what? All things considered, this wasn't such a bad day."

Grinning, Sheba nodded. "I know. A little adventure, a small challenge, and being able to relax here. So far…at least, in my opinion, this has been a near-perfect day."

He turned and looked at her, a thoughtful expression now playing his features. He was about to elaborate even further when something struck his arm. Whatever is was felt rough. He turned around, and saw the culprit. Jenna, who was still very bored, had come across a small, hollow log, and was using it to annoy her friends.

Felix sighed again, this time in aggravation. "Emphasis on _near_," he said, and ran away from his bored sister. Another bad move…he started a chase.

**End chapter 2**

Author's notes: Alright, a longer chapter this time round! Who's happy that Jenna found another blunt object to torment her brother with? I know she is. Also, I hope nobody feels sorry for Garet. Hey, he's a big guy, he can handle it!

Next chapter: Sheba can't sleep because she's thinking too much. Felix offers help…and no, it's not what you think it is. Pervert. 0.o


	3. Late Night Jitters

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping fic made by the Lord of the Penguins, Leoshi!

!Disclaimer! I still don't own it…that's why I'm writing about it! I just got away from everyone's lawyers, and I'm forging a copy of the Sol Blade's ownership rights…uh…I probably shouldn't have told you that…

"We last left our heroes on a desolate planet…" _Ahem._ Sorry. Anyway, we ended the last episode with Jenna wielding a small, hollow log, and she was beating up her brother with it. Garet was planning revenge on me for having him be made fun of, but _he_ doesn't have any lawyers anymore! Nyah!

I'm now adding a third section, as a run-down of the chapter's plot. Be happy, because this chapter focuses on Sheba! She can't sleep because she's thinking too much about the conversation between her and Felix that day.

**Chapter 3:** Late-Night Jitters

Sheba sat up in her bed again that night, holding her head in confusion. She scrunched her eyes together, trying to sort something out in her mind. She was plagued by restlessness, and was very close to staying awake the whole night. Fortunately, she shouldn't have to do any strenuous work this day, since the recent storm flooded the road to Vale's plaza. Still, she would be happy to get at least an hour's worth of sleep, but her wish wasn't coming true.

Sighing, she threw her covers off, ignoring the sudden cold air. She got off her bed, wrapping a large robe around her shoulders, and walked out quietly, careful not to wake any of the sleeping visitors. Sheba envied them.

Closing the room door silently behind her, the young Adept cat-stepped her way to the same window she was by the previous day, fixing her gaze upon the town's gate. The wood that made the gate was completely waterlogged, darkening the color. Many drops still fell from the gate and many other buildings, even though she had heard the rain stop over an hour ago. Still, the mass of gray clouds remained above the small town of Vault, keeping it in a state of quiet darkness.

"Oh, Sheba! Why are you up at this hour?"

Sheba's breath caught in her throat at the words. She spun around, and instinctively reached for her staff. She almost panicked when she found nothing, but realizing it was Vale's mayor, she willed her warrior instincts to calm. A long, relieved exhale escaped her lips as she released a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Couldn't sleep…at all."

Garet's father furrowed his brow, worried. "Is there a problem I can help you with?"

Sheba shook her head lightly. "No…not really," she stated as he walked up next to her. "I would probably bore you if I told you what _is_ bothering me, anyway."

He chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "My dear, I'm an old coon. After the years I've been through, _anything_ is interesting!" he said, moving his arms to make his point.

Sheba quietly sighed, defeated after such a short argument, if you could call it arguing. "Alright, then. I'll tell you. Just…don't fall asleep while I'm speaking, okay, old coon?" she replied, receiving another quiet laugh from him.

"Well, yesterday, after we had all returned from Vale, Felix and I had a little talk. He walked up to me when I was thinking over a…how should I put it…hard subject? Yeah. Basically, I was upset because I had no idea who my blood family was. He came up, concerned, and asked me if there was something bothering me…which, of course, there was. I told him about my curiosity about my heritage, and we joked around a little. If it wasn't for Jenna and her _new_ toy, we might have gone on talking a good hour or so.

"You see, ever since we spoke together, I can't help but think about my past…I just want to know! Ugh…there are so many thoughts flying around my mind, I'm confusing myself. It's frustrating, and aggravating, and…and…"

Sheba placed her head in her arms, resting on the windowsill, and her shoulders trembled as she held back stinging tears. Obviously, this was a _very_ hard subject to her. The mayor of Vale immediately began to regret his convincing argument that caused this. He wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders, trying to comfort her as he apologized.

"No…no, it's okay," Sheba stated, wiping her eyes to get rid of any escaped tears. "It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault. I'm just not as…strong as I want to be."

Confusion played across the mayor's features when she said this. He wanted to comment on it, but his son stepped out of his room at that moment, yawning loudly. Garet rubbed his eyes to drive away any more sleep while he greeted his father and his friend. "G'morning, dad. Morning, Sheba…huh? Sheba? Why are you up?"

His father replied for the unfortunate girl. "She couldn't sleep well. I don't think she had a good dinner last night," he fibbed, easily convincing his son.

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The day progressed normally, with a few people trudging through the muddy road up to Vale to check on damages. They returned with _extremely_ filthy boots and news that all five of the sheets placed down had stayed down. It was good news, since it meant that they could begin work again at the same pace they left. However, one of the group – the same child who was over-eager for adventure the day before, had run into the inn excitedly, bringing with him cold, sticky mud. This did not make the innkeeper happy; in fact, it made him furious, and he had the poor child scrub off all the mud he had tracked in.

Everyone tried to avoid Jenna, for obvious reasons, but she spent most of the day with Isaac. He was very uncomfortable at first, always staring at her small log, but soon realized she had grown tired of just beating up her friends and family. She simply wanted to talk for a little while. Everyone was interested when they ended their conversations with huge grins plastered on their faces, but a nearby log prevented any questions.

The day ended without incident, and the residents of Vale retired a little earlier that night – Felix going to bed the earliest. Sheba was curious why he left just after dusk, but when she looked his way, the same thoughts that had plagued her mind the night before returned with a vengeance. For the second time, she was unable to sleep well, if at all. Old thoughts returned and played themselves time and time again, and strange, muddled memories popped up out of nowhere, unable to be identified. She tried adjusting her position on her bed numerous times, but could not find comfort.

Again, she threw off her covers in frustration, and barely bothered with sneaking out of the room. She placed another robe about herself, walking normally, taking no notice as to the amount of noise she was making. She plopped down heavily into one of the armchairs scattered about the inn, a scowl playing across her features. She was extremely tired, and wished for sleep, but her thoughts wouldn't allow such a thing. In sudden anger, she slammed her fist against the armrest of the chair, causing a low _bang_ to sound about the lobby. It was then that she realized how much noise she had made up till now, and, for some reason, became angrier.

Sheba rose out of the chair and began pacing around the room, ignoring the squeaks of the floorboards as they complained at the sudden weight. She moved from pacing, to sitting on the floor, to sitting in another chair, back to pacing, a chair, the floor, and finally stopped at what was now becoming _her_ window. She frowned at the silent night as the rest of the town slept on without her. Envy gripped her at the thought of sleep, which led to her thinking about her lack of it, and finally, inevitably, stopped at the same thoughts she was now beginning to dread. She felt upset once again, and an inexplicable chill fell upon her as hot tears formed behind her eyes. She let them fall, only feeling more pain as she heard the soft patter as they hit the wooden floors.

A noise behind her made her jump, but she soon assumed that it was Garet's father again, forced to rise early because of his position. What was different was that he was knocking on another door silently, and Sheba turned to see what was happening. As she had guessed, the mayor of Vale had indeed risen early, and was opening the door to Felix's room. Sheba immediately deducted that Felix had volunteered to help the mayor that morning, and thus why he had retired so early the previous night. She strained to listen to their whispered conversation, only getting these lines:

"Felix, it's time…wake up…"

"Nnng…it's…sunrise yet…"

"Welcome to…job. Come on…up."

Garet's father closed the door, allowing Felix time to wake up fully. The mayor turned and started making his way toward the lobby. Sheba panicked for no reason, and spun around to face the outside again, furiously rubbing at her eyes to dry them.

"Sheba? Still can't sleep?" the mayor's voice called.

"Ugh…nope. I still can't, and it's pissing me off."

A soft, sharp intake of breath of heard behind her, and Sheba grinned smugly at her choice of words. Almost immediately after she smirked, she became crestfallen, regretting the very same words she had just used. Sheba turned around once again, and apologized, explaining that she was very cranky at the moment because of sleep, or lack thereof.

"It's alright. I understand, young one."

The girl nodded, relieved, and asked what business Felix had with the mayor this morning. When she asked this, he tilted his head slightly, confused.

"What? Jenna didn't tell you? Felix mentioned nothing?"

This time, Sheba cocked her head to the side, even more confused. She remained silent, waiting for an explanation. The mayor finally understood her silence, and continued.

"Your friend, the water adept…Piers, was it? He's coming into the Kalay Docks today, and I'm eager to get to know him better. Strange how Felix told you nothing of this…"

Sheba's mouth opened a bit, but no words came out. Behind her eyes, she fumed silently, feeling betrayed by her closest friend. Additional thoughts flooded her mind – thoughts full of rage and wonder. She clenched her hand into a very tight fist, but calmly said "Oh." She was lucky for the lack of sunlight, otherwise the old man before her would have realized her hurt.

"I'm surprised, too, child. Young Ivan told me about Piers' arrival, and I passed the word on to Jenna. I had asked her to at least tell her brother, and I figured _one_ of them – Felix, at least – would tell you the news. I…I don't know."

As he said the last line, Felix emerged from his room. Instead of going to the lobby where Sheba and Garet's father were, he went down toward Sheba's room. Sheba knew that Jenna was asleep in the room a few doors down, so she figured Felix was getting his sister awake.

"Listen, I'm sure he has his reason for not telling you. I am unsure as to what he's thinking, but I trust him to know what he's doing. Try to get some rest, okay child? This lack of sleep is not good."

With those few words, the mayor of Vale walked off to retrieve his bag. He had prepared a small pack for the trip to Kalay, and finally to the Docks. After he left, Felix finally entered the lobby, saying his good morning to the mayor as he passed. He stopped suddenly, obviously surprised to see Sheba up and about at this hour. He asked why, and did not expect the answer.

"What's it to you?"

Felix gasped quietly, and walked forward. "Is something wrong, Sheba?"

"I wonder…should I tell you the way you told me about Piers?"

The Venus Adept blinked in shock, but soon attempted to explain his case. "You…how did you learn about that?"

"Garet's dad. Yeah, the mayor doesn't keep important news from me, Felix!" Sheba exclaimed, receiving a "shh" noise from the boy next to her. "I'll be as loud or as quiet as I please," she added, even though she _did_ lower her voice a bit.

Felix looked crestfallen, unsure of what to do. "So…why, exactly, are you up this early? Please tell me, Sheba."

Sheba sighed in annoyance, but decided it best to answer him. "I'm thinking too much about what we talked about two days ago. My interest is peaked, and there are many different thoughts floating around in my mind. I can't get rid of them, and I can't sleep because of them."

"Uh…oh…I had no idea…I'm sorry about that, Sheba-"

"So, tell me," she cut in, glaring at the unfortunate boy intensely. "Why didn't you tell _me_ about Piers' arriving? Didn't you think I would be interested in the least?"

Felix was caught off guard. "Wha…yes, yes, of course! I _knew_ you would like to hear it, and-"

"So why didn't you tell me?" Sheba hissed, willing a small gust of wind to blow against the building.

"I was keeping it secret so I could surprise you!"

'_Why is she so angry with me? I thought this surprising her with the news would make her happy, not….'_ Felix thought. However, he was interrupted – he felt a sudden, foreign force probe his mind. He looked up, and saw Sheba concentrating on his head, her eyes flickering, her body glowing a light blue. She was reading his mind.

"Why? Because I like to know these things, Felix! Because I'm upset that I don't know my family! Because I haven't slept in two days! Hell, if it weren't for you trying to cheer me up two days ago, I would be _just fine_! Da-"

Sheba stopped herself from accusing Felix of fault, realizing just then that he didn't intend for any of this. Still, a part of her wanted to stay angry with him, while another argued that she should apologize for her harsh words, and ask to join Felix up to Kalay. Sheba decided to compromise – she would calm down as much as she could, but she wouldn't say she was sorry. She reasoned that Felix deserved those words for not informing her about their Mercury Adept friend.

Felix tried to regain composure; the sudden outburst had caused him to instinctively step back. Breathing deeply to organize his thoughts, he began to speak.

"Sheba…like I said earlier, I had no idea. I'm sorry…so sorry. I didn't intend for this to happen this way. I thought that if I surprised you about telling you about Piers while you were still asleep this morning, the excitement of seeing an old friend would wake you up enough to join me. I didn't know that you haven't been able to sleep for two nights! If I had known, I would have done something sooner, but now… Well, I offer my help, Sheba."

Felix held out his hand, trying to make her realize that this confrontation didn't weaken their friendship, in his eyes. He looked at her hopefully. "Listen, since you're losing sleep over what we spoke about, talk to me. I know it's _because_ we talked to each other that this is happening, but I don't care. I can't stand to see you in pain, Sheba. When we conversed with each other, you ended with a smile. I want to…see that smile again."

Sheba sighed again, trying to calm down. "Nevermind. Forget about it," she spat out.

Felix blinked in mild confusion. "Well, just remember I'm here if you need me, okay? I'm always willing to-"

"I said _no_, okay?!? God, what part of it don't you understand?"

And with that, Sheba fell silent, staring at the floor beneath the windowsill.

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After the unfortunate events that transpired between Felix and Sheba that morning, Felix spent the rest of the day feeling awful. He couldn't help but feel guilty. The further the day went on, the more he silently cursed himself for feeling so foolish, and even more at _being_ so foolish. As for Sheba, she had wandered back to her room in a daze after yelling at her friend. While the rest of the inhabitants of the inn were just waking up, she plopped down and sobbed herself to a distasteful sleep.

**End chapter 3**

Author's notes: Poor Felix. He was caught completely off-guard. And Sheba could really use some sleep. I'm sure she didn't mean to bite off Felix's head like that.

Next chapter: Piers finally arrives. He and Felix have a little discussion about girl's feelings. Naturally, they're clueless.


	4. The Water Adept

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping fic created by your superhero, Leoshi!

!Disclaimer! I do not, nor will I ever, own the games or anything related to it – with the exception of this story and all chapters within…and the Sol Blade. Now, I'm going into this obvious corner to hide from more lawyers. Don't tell anyone!

Last time, on The Truth is Painful, Felix got his head bitten off by Sheba. All because he had to open his mouth. Now, Felix and Vale's mayor will soon leave for Kalay.

Be happy that Piers figures in to the story! This chapter will start off just as Felix and the mayor hit the road.

**Chapter 4:** The Water Adept

'_Felix must be very interested in the ground,'_ the mayor reasoned. _'He's barely looked up since we left…'_

This trip down to Kalay seemed to be getting longer to Felix. In fact, he could swear he had seen the exact same pebble over four times now…and the same twig…as well as the same patch of grass on the side of the road.

He was oblivious to the fact he was _kicking_ that very pebble, the road was littered with broken twigs from the storm, and that only one type of grass grew near this road.

Vale's mayor couldn't stand the silence. He decided to open up a conversation. The subject? Jenna. She hadn't gone with them as he had thought. It was odd.

"Er, Felix? Sorry to interrupt this _conversation_ we're having," he began, his voice a mix of humor and sarcasm, "but do you know where your sister had gotten to? It was my understanding that she would be accompanying us this morning…?"

The miserable boy glanced up for a second, his thoughts broken and rerouted to his missing sister. "I'm not sure myself, sir. She wasn't in her room this morning when I went to wake her up. My guess is that she went on ahead, or something to that nature."

After he managed his sentence out, he lowered his eyes again, willing himself to think back to earlier that morning, replaying the confrontation between Sheba and himself again and again. ((AN: I have a comment on this at the end of the chapter.))

"Hmm…maybe…" the older man muttered, feeling pity for the boy. The most he had heard between the Jupiter and Venus Adepts was her yelling "…it don't you understand?" After that sudden outburst, he strained to listen to any more conversation – his checking of his trip supplies momentarily forgotten – but only head retreating footsteps going down the hallway and up the stairs. He soon found out that it was Felix, going to get his sword and satchel of healing herbs. Ever since then, Felix was downcast, apparently engrossed in a thrilling, silent conversation between himself and the road. Having lived through a few days like that himself, the mayor knew that Felix wouldn't say a word on the matter for some time; possibly even later that night.

He scoffed quietly to himself. _'Human nature…man's worst enemy.'_

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The remainder of the trip to Kalay continued without event or any words. Only the occasional long, saddening sigh from the confused boy, and cough or two from the older man.

'_I still don't understand why she should be mad at _me_! I didn't do anything _extremely_ wrong!'_ Felix mind shouted at him.

'_She wasn't able to sleep for two nights; it's natural for someone to be a bit…touchy…after that,'_ another part of his mind argued.

'_Still, I don't see how me not telling her about Piers until the last minute would give her a reason to bite my head off.'_

'_Think about it. Thoughts and curiosity are what have been keeping her up for the last two nights…thoughts the two of you discussed earlier. Also, she didn't know or didn't understand why you would want to surprise her like you intended, and she was upset enough to be angry with you for it. You're a likely target.'_

'_Well…hmm…'_

'_Give her some time alone to sort things out, and be sure to apologize to her for any wrongdoing when you see her later.'_

Felix sighed lightly again. _'I'm hesitant to see her.'_

"Ah, welcome, friends! Good to see you!"

Ivan came bounding up to greet Felix and Garet's grandfather, and it wasn't long before Felix found himself in Kalay's motel. They stayed for a good half-hour to rest before setting South again. During that time, Felix tried his best to put aside his conflicting emotions and enjoy time with his friends. It worked, because he left the motel with a wide grin and a young Ivan on their heels.

"Well, this is a nice change," the older man remarked, once they had left the town's gates.

The young Adept looked up, and nodded. "Isn't it? I'm trying to make the best out of this trip."

Ivan had to make a comment. "Good. I hate seeing friends sad. It tears me up."

"Typical Ivan," Felix remarked, soon receiving a small bonk on the head from Ivan's staff. Felix rounded on him, mock shouting.

"Have you been talking with Jenna lately, by _any_ chance?!?"

"…Maybe," Ivan evaded.

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"Clear the way! Stay back, away from the pier! Ship coming in!"

All of the less-than-many villagers backed away from the dock as they were commanded to do, gazing as the large, winged ship coasted into the bay. It eventually stopped, and a lone Lemurian emerged, holding a large, black orb in his hand. He smiled at the trio of his friends waiting for him, and quickly walked across the pier.

"Welcome back to Gondowan, my friend," the mayor spoke, taking Piers' hand warmly. Soon, Felix and Ivan followed suit.

"It's good to be here. It feels like it's been so long! Ivan, have you grown?" Piers asked, unintentionally squatting down slightly.

"Well…maybe. I sure hope so; people aren't scared of a small Wind Adept anymore."

"Anymore? What happened?"

Ivan scoffed as the memory flooded in. "Some kids in Kalay have been getting in trouble, and the town cannot count on me to scare them straight anymore. They're nearly as tall as I am. It sucks."

Laughter erupted from Piers as Ivan finished. "Heheh! Don't worry, I'm sure you'll persuade them with a little…_shocking_…truth about life, eh?" he said, indicating a bit of lightning involvement. Ivan chuckled a bit at his reply.

"Alright, guys…not to ruin a good reunion, but I would very much like to see a good bed and some other friends I know. Where's Jenna and Sheba? Couldn't they make it?"

"…We'll see, Piers…we'll see…" Vale's mayor put in, trying to avert a sensitive subject for Felix.

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It wasn't until they were more than halfway up the road back to Vault that Felix decided to speak his thoughts. He had been mulling over several interesting facts for the last hour or so, many of his opinions being shot down by logic from his conscience. He had finally found the right words to begin the subject and it took him a mere second to decide whom he would converse with.

"Piers, I'd like to speak with you, if you don't mind…?"

The Lemurian was slightly taken aback by Felix's formality, but only replied with a "Hmm?"

"I…Well, something happened early this morning…between Sheba and I…"

Piers blinked, waiting for something more. Felix was still having a bit of difficulty forming the sentences he wanted. A sigh was released from his lips before he continued.

"It…it seems she finds it very important to know about important subjects…"

The Mercury Adept waited patiently. "…And?"

"Yeah, very important…it's pretty important to her," Felix faltered.

More waiting.

"I…" Another sigh, this time exasperated. "I- well, _nobody_ told her about you coming to visit today…"

Piers was a little surprised, since he knew Felix had always been a good leader, and being one required everyone to know everything they might be interested in. True, Felix had withheld information upon Kraden's request, but the group was always informed well before the information was direly important.

"This is a problem, I suppose?" he asked.

Felix's head dropped, once again seeming interested in the dirt road. "…Yeah…she shouted at me for it…"

"Did she get informed at all? Did everyone else know?" Piers continued his questions, although he had a reasonable – and most likely, deathly accurate – answer to them already.

"Yes, and yes. But…"

Piers' patience thinned out. "Felix, please stop faltering. You obviously want to talk – else you wouldn't have come to me. Now, what is this 'but' about?"

The unfortunate Venus Adept stopped suddenly, lifting his head to look at the sky. "Well, yes, she was told of your arrival…mere moments before the mayor and I left. And yes, just about everyone else knew about, and they held back the subject upon my request."

Piers, who had stopped alongside him, nearly did a double take (only so that he gazed at Felix through the corner of his eye as he was told about the mere moments, then snapped his head to stare as he said "upon my request"). "Wh-what? Upon _your request_? I…ugh…forgive me, I must restrain myself from shouting at you as well."

"Gee, don't I feel better," Felix drawled.

The Water Adept continued, his small amount of anger in check. "I mean not to depress you any more than you make yourself be by dwelling on this yourself. I only hope you know that it's wrong to ask people to not tell one of your closest friends something important! Imagine…oh, Kalay being raided by loyalists of Dodonpa, and a Kalayan manages to escape the raid group and make it to Vault to inform you. He tells you about the attack, the burning of the village, and – regretfully – the kidnapping of Ivan. Would it be right to ask that Kalayan to inform your friends, but not to mention that Ivan has been trapped? Would you keep that blow from them?"

"What are you saying, man? Of course not!" Felix cried, appalled that one of his friends, especially _Piers_ of all people, would play a scenario like that. "Besides, it's not even the same situation as the one I'm in now!"

"It's the same principle," Piers defended.

A few tense seconds passed between the two of them before Felix jogged to catch up with Ivan and Garet's father. Piers made up ground as well, and – much to Felix's dismay – continued.

"Listen, my friend, surely you will have a chance to speak with Sheba later today. Take that opportunity and make amends for your mistake. Offer something to make it up to her. Be a friend, not a sore."

Felix, once again, sighed. "Piers, I appreciate your advice, but you're making me regret asking for it in the first place. I'm thinking I might have been better off searching for a solution myself."

"Wars cannot be won by one man alone," the Lemurian retorted. "Wars are won by battles, battles are won by swords, and swords are held by _men_. You will appreciate my help – trust me."

As he finished, Sol reached mid-afternoon, and the small party of four stepped into the gates of Vault.

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At this time, Piers became swamped with familiar friends, faces, and other hopefuls. He was greeted beyond counting, and was being led to a comfortable chair in the main room of the inn. He gladly told various short stories about Lemuria and his own travels, albeit forced to tell.

The whereabouts of Jenna were soon discovered. She was found talking with Isaac, as she normally does now, and she spoke of how, to avoid waking up early, she stole away to a second-floor room as everyone else retired for the night. She explained how she "had a headache that night," and wanted to sleep it away.

After some time, Sheba revealed herself from her room. She had been asleep for more than Felix's trip to and from the Karagol pier, and was smiling at everyone who was greeting her. She waved at Piers as he did, laughed at a trio of kids chasing each other around her, and soon found Felix. He was caught off-guard, speaking with his sister about what she could have done instead of switching rooms the previous night.

"I hope your offer to help in any way you can is still available, because I need whatever you can give. Come outside, Felix; we must talk."

Sheba has whispered this to her friend, standing on her toes to reach his ear. His mind instantly swam with many thoughts, but he followed her outside nonetheless. Once the warm air had hit them, Sheba flung herself in a tight, apologetic embrace with Felix. She began to sputter out one apology after another as the inn door finally closed. He had managed to – reluctantly – pry her off of him as she spoke her eleventh "Gods, I'm sorry!"

"Sheba- wait, Sheba…you can stop now!"

Though she did cease her myriad apologies, she had begun to sob lightly, holding back yet another set of tears. Felix gently guided her over to a bench resting outside a nearby building, coaxing her to sit and calm down. After a few deep, relaxing breaths, Sheba turned her head to face him, muttering "I'm sorry."

"I know, Sheba. It's all right; it's accepted. I'm glad you came to me today, friend."

After another quick hug she initiated, they began to talk.

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"So, what can I do, Sheba?"

Her head lifted from its' position of rest in her hands, and she looked at Felix with a confused look. "What? What do you…"

"I mean, what can I do to make this up to you? I've caused you a lot of trouble over the last couple of nights; I must make things right again," he explained. Apparently, Piers' words had struck a chord within Felix. Although embarrassed to ask this of Sheba, he knew it would help both of them – Sheba can ask whatever she wanted, and Felix's mind would be put at ease.

Of course, Sheba couldn't think of anything to ask for – not anything that she was ready for, anyway, although she really wanted that something.

"Hmm," Felix murmured, thinking of anything he could offer. Just like Sheba, his first thought was something he was too shy to ask for. Another idea stuck out, though, and it seemed to fit well with the situation. He looked at her for a moment, apprehensive, and asked.

"What if…say, I help you…find out your history?"

A puzzled look from Sheba was his response. It was a few tense seconds before Felix decided to elaborate.

"I mean…help you find your blood family, and why you appeared in Lalivero, and where you really hail from, and…well…"

Sheba raised a hand to stop him. When he finally did, she sincerely smiled for the first time that day. It was quite obvious that she liked the idea. She nodded, and thus caused Felix to grin as well.

"Sounds like a…good idea, Felix."

All he could do was smile sheepishly at her.

Sheba giggled once, and continued. "I'll go tell the others; I'm sure they're eager for some travel, also!"

She rose out of her place on the bench, but was held back. Felix had shot his hand out and grasped her arm to stop her. When he received a confused look, he explained.

"Sheba, I…I just want this trip…to be…well, I want just the two of us…going…"

He released her arm, but she didn't leave. Rather, she continued her perplexed look as he lowered his head in embarrassment. Cocking and eyebrow, she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, Felix…that's a good idea, too."

"What? You…you agree?" he asked, lifting his head.

She giggled a bit more, causing Felix to become warm in the cheeks. "Absolutely," she added. "I'm all for it. It…means a lot to me that you're doing this, Felix."

"Uh…well, I felt it was best. I had to make things right. I still have to, really," he said, before he could stop himself.

**End chapter 4**

Author's comments: With the past night forgiven and all anger forgotten, a new adventure for Felix and Sheba may begin. I bet y'all have been waiting for this a long while, huh? Sorry for the delayed update, but there was a _lot_ of things going on – school, band, friends, etc. Plus, I was really discouraged while writing this, because it seemed so _dull_! Again, sorry for the wait. Hopefully, the next installments will come sooner.

For my comment on Felix's mood earlier in the story, it more like a comment on human nature. Why is it that we are comfortable being miserable? If something happens to us that makes us feel horrible, why do we dwell on it? We admit we feel devastated, heartbroken, and miserable, yet we'll do what we can to continue to feel this way until something interrupts us. I think it's ridiculous, really.

Kalayan: A resident of Kalay.

Anyway, let's continue. Next chapter: the story _really_ begins! Sheba and Felix begin their search in the Jupiter Lighthouse, hoping to find something they may have overlooked while lighting it.


	5. Contigo, the First Visit

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping fic by the chocolatier, Leoshi!

((Hmm...why is it called Lighthouseshipping? Meh, it's too long anyway. Sandshipping sounds better, too. Woot.))

!Disclaimer! I do not, nor ever will, own the game, the story, the characters, or anything else directly related to Camelot's Golden Sun franchise - only this particular story and all chapters within belong to me. No Sol Blade yet...not _yet_...

As we all were glad to see on the Truth last time, Piers came into town with advice for the unfortunate Venus Adept. With his advice, Felix and Sheba finally made up...and now their adventure is about to begin!

Here, we start out with the two beginning their search in Contigo, headed for the Jupiter Lighthouse. Surely, they will find _something_ in the most powerful Jupiter continent...?

**Chapter 5:** Contigo, the First Visit

"Okay, let's see...the sword, the armor, some herbs...crystals...okay, and the other stuff...yes, the Lapis is with me, good...got the Gem, the Pebble...okay..."

"Felix, are you done yet?" a very aggravated Sheba was asking. "I'm not getting any younger, you know!"

"Well, it's best we make sure we have _everything_, so we don't _die_ young," he countered, closing his bulging pack and flinging it over his shoulder. "Besides, there's no hurry - Contigo will still be there if we take out time. No harm in making sure we can survive-"

"Contigo? What about Contigo?" a smooth female voice asked from behind them, startling them both. They turned, expecting to see a certain Fire Adept with her log. Instead, they were pleasantly surprised to see a young, strikingly pretty priestess in blue-white robes. Her hair was flowing down to her knees, and some more was covering her eyes slightly. She had her hands clasped in front of her, looking cute and modest. However, they separated when she jumped, surprised to see that she had surprised them, a bit of color coming to her face. She settled, cleared her throat, and began to ask again...until the two of them got over their shock.

"Mia! Oh, Mia, how _are_ you? What are you _doing_ all the way down here?" Sheba asked rapidly, embracing her friend in a tight, brief hug. Felix simply stood, greeting his friend, and asking the same questions...with a bit less haste in his voice than the Wind Adept's.

"I was fine until you decided to smother me, Sheba! Heh, actually, I was just coming down for a visit - Ivan had sent me word of Piers' arrival, and I thought I could make the gang whole again, if only for a little while. Now," she continued, looking quizzically at the two of them. "What's all this about Contigo? Are you all going on a little trip?"

Felix and Sheba exchanged looks - they had been hoping to keep this matter secret until just before they left. Even though it was mere moments before they set off anyway, they had planned it to be a little different, not that seeing their friend was a problem. They just weren't expecting it.

"Not quite," Felix began, seeing Sheba manifest a flustered look, not knowing where she could begin. "See, it's just the two of us...we're going to Contigo, and then some."

"What?" the young Mercury Adept asked, looking at the two of them with interest. _'Huh...maybe they've finally begun to...'_ she thought.

"Yeah," Sheba continued, slightly confused at her sudden look. "We're going off to see if we can find out where I hail from, since I cannot be from Lalivero. Just Felix and I going, to see what we can find out. We're starting at Contigo since it has the Jupiter Lighthouse - that's our destination."

"Yeah, we're hoping to find something, _anything,_ we might have missed while lighting it," Felix finished, answering Mia's questions before she even asked them. "From there...we'll see; we're not stopping until she's satisfied."

Mia gave them another thoughtful look, gazing at the Venus Adept particularly. _'Hmm...they must have, absolutely _must_ have, begun to realize it...Felix is so determined about this...surely Sheba is seeing this, how much he cares for her.'_

She smiled at him, thus confusing him greatly. She then looked over to the Wind Adept, still smiling, earning the exact same look as Felix's from her.

"Well!" she started before either of them could question her, "I'm rather famished after my trip down here - care to show the way to the inn, Felix?" Before allowing a response, the young Adept grabbed the boy's arm, dragging him along until he broke free, finally able to walk on his own. Sheba, now looking astonished at Mia's actions, decided to find out why she had acted that way. She concentrated on the blue-haired girl's head, just above her neck, and invaded her thoughts.

_'Wow, it has been a while since I was able to- oh, Sheba! Heh, whatever happened to privacy? Ah, don't worry; I'm just playing with you! I _really_ don't know my way around here!'_

Sheba grinned slightly, both in humor and in relief, and chased after the two, grabbing Felix's bag as she did - he had dropped it when he was grabbed, and didn't notice at all.

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"You're **WHAT???**"

The force of the five Adept's simultaneous shout literally shook the windows and doors of the inn. Felix stood tall again, taking his hands off his ears.

"Yes, guys - Sheba and I are leaving for a while. It's important to her that we discover her heritage! And before you ask-" he pointed a finger at Garet, who was about to raise his hand, "-this is just something Sheba and I are going on. Sorry, but you all must stay and help out with Vale while we're gone."

Garet apparently didn't hear - or didn't listen - and piped up. "Who else is going?"

Of course, Felix ignored him. Ivan giggled, Jenna sighed, and Isaac stared, which all flustered Garet greatly, of course.

"So, where are you going to go?" Mia asked, solely for the benefit of the others.

Felix caught on without missing a beat. "We're headed for Contigo...for the Jupiter Lighthouse. We're going to comb the place, see if we missed anything while we were lighting it. And hopefully...we'll learn something." As he finished, he cast a glance toward the cute Jupiter Adept...and noticed that she looked distant, caught in her own thoughts. He made a note to ask her about it later.

"So...really, who else is going?"

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"Felix, here...you may want this."

"Oh, I had totally forgotten!" he exclaimed, taking his bag that Sheba was holding out. "Thanks; I would've been in trouble if it were left behind, huh?"

"Yup, and I'm not going to cover for you if ever you do!" she replied, laughing. She turned to the inn entrance, where the six other Adepts were gathered. Waving slowly, she began saying her farewells to her friends...oh, how much they meant to her. Indeed, a mere year ago, she never would have imagined she would be part of a unity like _this_. It was true - she had _friends_. And it was worlds better than being held against her will by Babi, or even before that, being held as a "God's Child" in Lalivero. Not that she minded the pampering...

"Sheba, come on, it's time," Felix urged her, laying a hand on her shoulder and waving good-bye to his friends and family with the other.

"Oh!" she began, looking up at him. "And _now_ who's in the rush, hmm?"

He laughed, looking down at her, their eyes meeting. This, to them, seemed to slow time drastically, and all they saw was each other. Sheba was sure she could gaze into them forever - it was like a window into his soul. In fact, she was even - unintentionally - reading his mind a little, so it felt as though she was diving into his soul. Felix, on the other hand, was _determined_ to stare into her beautiful eyes for as long as he could. He was dazzled by their color - a wondrous deep violet - and the way they sparkled, the life within them, the fire of Psynergy burning brightly deep inside her...he thought he could see all of this. He was sure of it.

"Wake up, Felix!" the "God's Child" called, finally - albeit unwillingly - breaking the gaze before anyone suspected something. She chided herself mentally for her blush, and told herself that she shouldn't do that again, not until she was sure...

She gave one last enthusiastic wave, and used her hand to poke Felix's, which was still holding on to her shoulder. This got through to him, and he began to rummage through a satchel on his waist. After a bit of searching, he finally found what he needed - the Teleport Lapis.

"Hey, Felix!" Isaac called. "Maybe next time, we can _all_ go travelling, huh?"

"Yeah!" Jenna added, still waving slowly to her two friends. "And don't worry - wherever you're going, Vale will be standing when you get back! Well...hopefully!"

Felix nodded, smiling at the group of Adepts. Even he could hardly imagine that he was going to visit the people he helped save, and with only Sheba at his side! It could easily pass as a dream, a fleeting fantasy...but his warrior's training held him firm to reality, and he couldn't be happier.

Well, he _could_, but not now. Not until he was sure...

He gripped the Lapis in his hand, concentrating on it until it glowed a brilliant purple. With the grin still playing his features, he looked up to the sand-color-haired girl before him. She was watching the object with curiosity, a thoughtful look on her face. Her head being tilted down caused her hair to fall in front of her face. And Felix had a sudden urge to brush it away. He even rose his hand to her face, so close to caressing her cheek.

Instead, he willed himself to place the hand on her shoulder again, gaining her attention. His facial features told her that he would need her help to reach Contigo. She nodded her understanding, and placed her hand on his outstretched arm, contributing her Psynergy. As she did, both their bodies became enveloped in a veil of pulsating blue light, dancing about their bodies. Sheba squeezed his arm, anxious. Felix squeezed back, reassuring her as best he could.

They began to lift slightly in the air - the ground had risen slightly, and the wind had kicked up a bit. As their bodies began to dissipate, they looked over to their friends as they shouted their farewells once more.

"Hey, take care now, okay? We'll need you back soon!"

"Don't do anything stupid, brother - I still have my toy, you know!"

"Good-bye, you two! Good luck!"

"Come back soon! The party must be whole again soon!"

"Farewell, my friends. I pray you find what you seek with no difficulty."

"Be careful, and bring us back something, too! Okay?"

"GARET!"

Their laughter and shouting sounded farther and farther away now, and the two young Adepts looked at each other again. The wind kicked up again, and the earth had risen more...and then they were there, standing on a grassy field instead of the dirt road of Vault. A gentle breeze played with their hair, and the still-morning sun shone warmly upon them, as though in greeting. In fact, even the soft breeze felt like it was an old friend, eager to see the two of them again. They let go of each other, turning and taking in the surrounding with their eyes. There was, of course, the massive, inexplicable crater right next to the peace-loving town, and the team of scholars sent to research it. Near that, there was Contigo itself, wonderful in its own way. Several people were gathered near the town gates, although they hadn't noticed the two young Adepts yet. And behind them lied the Inlet, with the usual few to no people in it.

"I've always felt...peaceful when I was around here..." Sheba muttered, happy to feel the gentle breeze playing with her hair. She walked away a few steps, breathing in the different air...and even did a little dance. Of course, it consisted primarily of twirling, but Felix enjoyed it nonetheless.

_'Wow...talk about happy,'_ was all he could think before she noticed his gaze.

"Um...what's wrong, Felix?"

The Earth Adept blushed madly, shaking his head a little to clear his thoughts. "Oh, uh...umm..." he faltered, searching for an excuse. None came.

Sheba could only giggle at his antics, and she told him that it was okay, and that they should continue on. Much to his relief, she didn't ask him about his staring again.

After a bit of travel and discussion about how odd Garet was, they were soon staring at the massive structure that was Jupiter Lighthouse. Felix was saying how "Garet _is_ strange, but he means well..." when he noticed Sheba's looking upward. He, too, gazed up at the magnificent place, the awe-inspiring Lighthouse. They were even able to see the Aerie, burning brightly with the light of Jupiter.

"Well," Felix began, turning his gaze to see Sheba's awed features. "I guess we'd better get climbing. We've got to search for whatever might help us, right?"

"Yeah...yeah..." she muttered, captivated by the threshold of all her powers. "Felix, I..." she began, starting to bend over slightly. "I feel...strange..."

His feeling of contentment vanished in a second, replaced by immense worry. "What? Oh, by Venus, not now...can you describe it?"

"Well," she said, beginning to sweat a little. "I don't know...it's like...I don't know..."

"Jeez, we can't stop, though! We haven't even started yet!" he exclaimed, sighing afterwards. "Sheba...I don't want to push you and cause you to overexert yourself...but can we please keep going? It's important to me that we discover who your family is. Please?"

"I...It's important to me, too...and I want to keep going...but..." She couldn't say any more - she collapsed on the steps of the Lighthouse, passed out from whatever didn't want her to be here. Felix rushed to her side, catching her elbow just before she hit the ground. He turned her on her back, calling her name, trying to see if she was still conscious, to no avail. He forced open her eyes, and checked them...to see that her eyes looked...dull. Lifeless. There was no longer the sparkle that came with them. His worry increased, and he concentrated harder, trying to see deep inside her as he had done hours before. Again, he saw past those beautiful deep violet eyes, and saw...the fire of her Psynergy, surprising low and dim. Although this did cause more worry on him, it told him that she was at least alive. He had to take her back. This place has...changed.

Hoisting her on his back, he took off at a run, back down to Contigo, all the while trying to Revive her through his Psynergy. Much to his relief, he noticed that she had woken up halfway back to the town, although she still felt incredibly weak. She wrapped her arms around his torso, trying to minimize the bouncing from his running.

"Where are...we going, Felix?" she asked, bringing her face close to his ear.

"We're headed back to Contigo - we can't go into the Lighthouse, I won't risk you losing your strength again."

"But I'm fine now! I just need to regain my energy, that's all!"

"No, Sheba! I can't let you take a risk like that again! You're Psynergy is too low for us to do anything, anyway!" he argued, slowing down to a brisk walk. "I can't let you fall over like that again - you had me so worried about you."

Sheba had no argument against what he just said. _'He was...worried about me? And how did he know my Psynergy was almost gone? Even I didn't notice until we were at the Lighthouse entrance...'_ she thought.

"...Alright. I'm sorry that I worried you. But please know, I have no clue how or why I was drained when we arrived. I'm sorry, Felix."

He slowed down even more, coming to a stop right on top of a hill overlooking the town. He was glad that she couldn't see his face, because he was blushing at her tone, and the way she held on to him. It reminded him that she was like his little sister, and that told him that he needed to keep her safe, always.

"Don't worry about it, Sheba. You alright to walk on your own? I'm sure you want to hold on to your dignity a little longer."

She laughed, releasing her grip around his body. "Sure, I guess I do. Let me down here..."

Felix crouched down, allowing her to climb off and walk on her own. Either by mistake or intended, she gently scratched his back as she got down, causing chills to run through the Venus Adept's body. She walked around a bit, stretching after being cramped by being carried for so long.

"Come on," Felix began, standing up again. "Let's get back to town. We'll spend as much time as you need to regain your strength, and try another place. Okay? ...Uh, Sheba?"

She had disappeared. Felix panicked, and began looking all around him for her. When he looked down the hill, he finally saw her...she was running toward the quaint little town, laughing and yelling about how Felix couldn't catch her. He was stunned that she had gotten so far so fast. He sighed, chuckled to himself, and ran after her.

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"Are you feeling alright now?"

"Felix, please - I've told you time and again, I'm okay! There's nothing to worry about!"

"Well, I just want to make sure," he told her, handing her a cup of tea.

"Psh, yeah, you're just stubborn!" she joked, taking a long drink of the warm liquid. "Mmm! This is good stuff; thanks, Felix!"

"And what was that about me being stubborn?"

"Oh, hush."

They had come back to Contigo's inn, only paying enough for one night. It seemed that every hour, on the hour, Felix would ask about how Sheba felt, and he would always get the same answer. Regardless, she was secretly glad that he was so concerned with her well being, but there was such a thing as "too much of a good thing."

"Hey, Felix, did you manage to speak with the Elders about what happened?" she asked, finishing the rest of her drink.

"Oh, yeah," he began, placing his own drink down on a nearby table. "He told me his opinion of what happen. Let me warn you, he's pretty superstitious. He thinks that they aren't able to enter the lighthouse because of what the scholars are doing at that shrine-thing to the East. Apparently, they had made some progress since we were last here. They had managed to get into the inside of that place, through the middle door. There was another right after that, and they couldn't open it. They even tried a cannon they got from Loho - no luck. Then, he says, there was a deep foreboding feeling that was coming from that door, and one of the scholars starting screaming, gripping his head in pain. After all that, he says they heard a voice, cursing the 'Threshold of Jupiter to all who have been looked down upon by the Goddess.' So, apparently, the Threshold is the Lighthouse, and anyone with Jupiter Psynergy - like you - are unable to enter it."

Felix took a deep breath to signify that he was done with explaining, and he looked at the young Jupiter Adept. Naturally, she was confused.

"Wow...quite a story. Hmm...did he say what the people's symptoms were when they tried to enter the Lighthouse, anyway?"

He looked up, remembering. "Oh, uh...yeah. He said that they simply felt sick to their stomachs, and had really bad headaches. I asked him if anyone fell unconscious by this, and he gave me a very perplexed look. I took it as a 'no,'" he finished with a chuckle.

"So," she deducted, "the more Wind power someone has, the harder the symptoms will be?"

"I don't know," he continued. "On my way back, I saw two men - Adepts - having a contest over who had more Psynergenetic power. It was no competition, really...one of them had won in no time at all. I asked them if they had gone up to the Lighthouse recently. Both said yes. So, I inquired about what they felt - and both said the same thing, even though one was a far better Jupiter Adept than the other."

Sheba was confused. "But then...why should I pass out, when they only get headaches?" she asked, starting to worry slightly.

The Venus Adept shook his head. "I don't know...I just don't know...maybe there's something in that shrine we should check out...?"

For some inexplicable reason, Sheba felt a sense of foreboding when he mentioned this. She immediately disagreed. "Can we not, please?" When she got a questioning look from her friend, she explained. "I don't know what it is, but I just have a feeling that something bad might happen if we go. Perhaps...we could try somewhere else, first? Please?"

Felix was dumbfounded. _'Wow,'_ he mused, _'she's actually_ pleading _to leave that place alone! ...But, when we were lighting the Lighthouses before, she always had certain feelings about things, and she was always right. Best not to doubt her this time...'_

He stood up, grabbing their cups as he did so. "Alright, Sheba - we'll try somewhere else. You're always right about these things. Care for some more tea?"

The cute Wind Adept was immensely relieved, and her sense of foreboding vanished. She nodded to her friend, smiling her thanks. "I'd love some."

It was Felix's turn to smile. He walked off to get some more refreshments, all the while thinking about how cute Sheba looked when she grinned like that.

**End chapter 5**

Author's comments: Woohoo! Finally, a new chapter! Ah, it's great to be back! I hope you all enjoyed this longer chapter - there was a lot of thought put into writing it! Oh, and sorry for the vanishing act...I promise to be a little more active!

So, who all is happy that their adventure is underway? Alright, and who all thinks that Garet is..."missing" something? Yeah, the lights aren't all on upstairs, if you ask me.

Next installment: the duo Teleports far North, to Prox, since the elders there seem to know much about the history of Weyard.


	6. Prox

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping fic made by the dress-sportin' Gaian, Leoshi!

((I'm not kidding about that...check my profile...you'll see...))

!Disclaimer! For the sixth time, I don't own this wondrous game! Trust me, if I _did_ own it, I would _have_ the Sol Blade right now! But I don't own it, so I have to settle for thievery. Now scroll down, read this next chapter, and remember: You didn't hear a _thing_ about thievery.

Felix and Sheba's adventure started on the last chapter, and they began in Contigo, hoping to make the Jupiter Lighthouse their first target. However, complications arose, and they had to abandon that idea.

In this installment, the two continue North to Prox, remembering that the elders seemed to know more about Weyard's history than anyone else does.

**Chapter 6:** Prox

Sudden cold enveloped the Venus and Jupiter Adepts as the last of the Psynergenetic light left their bodies - cold so fierce, Sheba was brought down to her knees. The wind was blowing strong today, causing the inevitable wind-chill, and it was a _painful_ cold that day. The "God's Child" felt as though a myriad of needles were hitting her, and she was rubbing her arms, trying to bring heat back to them. To her pleasure, the young Venus warrior near her bent over, wrapping his arms around her, transferring heat. She leaned in to his embrace, both because she had dreamt of this, and because she needed the extra warmth.

"Sheba!" Felix yelled over the savage wind. "Can't you stop this wind from blowing so hard?"

She looked up to his face, seeing how much pain he was in from taking the brunt of the wind for her. She nodded, and hastily began tapping into her Psynergy. After a moment or two, the wind had slackened considerably...but the two had remained in the embrace, enjoying the shared heat.

After a few minutes of this, Felix was forced to stand - his muscles were becoming very tight in the uncomfortable crouching position. "Can you stand, Sheba?" he asked, seeing the objection in her eyes. "We need to keep going - staying here won't help us."

She shook her head. "I can, but..." she rose to her feet - stumbling a little - as she finished. "That _cold_! I'm not sure what it did, but it hurts to move now."

"That's not good," he said, moving closer. "Here, I'll help you in." He stepped next to her and wrapped an arm across her back, as she placed one along his shoulders. She winced in pain as she moved. Soon, however, she felt an inexplicable warmth inside her. She looked over to her friend, and saw him concentrating - he was Curing her of the pain. And she was thanking him all the way as they stepped into Prox. All he could do was nod as he turned the spell on himself.

"Huh..."

"What is it, Felix?"

"The people here...they're stepping outside their houses, looking astonished. I wonder why?" he explained, curious. "Excuse me, sir-"

"Huh? ...Is that...Felix? Felix, is that you?" the man exclaimed, happy to see two of the "Heroes of Weyard," as they are locally referred as.

"Yes, it's me. Stay your celebration…why was everyone inside their houses? Surely you don't need to worry about the cold...?"

He shook his head, chuckling. "No, no, of course not. It just that...ah, Felix, it's good to see you!"

"What? Felix is here?" someone to their left said, looking their direction.

"Hey, he's right! Two Heroes have come! Felix has come!" another shouted, turning to the gathering populace. In no time at all, the two Adepts were swamped with excited people, all stating their wonder at their arrival.

"Felix," Sheba began, shouting over the din, "look for Puelle! _He_ can help us!"

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"Yes, it is an honor to have you back in our homes so soon, Felix, Sheba."

The two young Adepts could only shake their heads once again, not used to such honor being placed around them. "Puelle..." the Jupiter Adept began, blushing.

Although they had been comfortable in Prox while on their way to light Mars's beacon, it was only because they were strengthened by Venus's and Jupiter's light. Now that the elements were in perfect harmony, they had felt Prox's intense cold as any other outside would have - they were still shivering. In fact, the two had become more and more aggravated the longer the villagers were holding them in the town's center, since the cold was still creeping in on them. To their luck, Puelle was also walking outside his house, looking just as astonished as the rest of the townspeople. He had come to their rescue, parting the crowd with ease, and leading them to his home.

The Proxean mayor understood immediately, and ceased his welcoming. "Very well, then...what can I do for you?"

"We've come with questions, sir...questions that both you and the Elder might be able to answer," Felix explained, looking toward the older Proxean authority sitting in a nearby corner. "Please, if you don't mind...?"

"Not at all, young sir," the Elder began, rising from his chair. "I'm sure we would love to grant you knowledge. Puelle?"

"Indeed!" he agreed. The mayor pointed to a guard near the door. "You there, fetch the librarian - I wish for this to be recorded."

As the guard ran off, Puelle began gathering four cups, pouring some tea in two of them, and a different liquid from another pot in the other two. He walked back, handing everyone a cup - making sure that the two special visitors got the different liquid. This potion's peculiar scent filled the room in no time, setting a wave of odd warmth around the two travelling Adepts.

"This concoction," he explained, noticing their perplexed looks, "will allow you to not notice the cold air of Prox for as long as you stay near the light of Mars. No matter how long you stay in Prox, you'll have this, the immunity of the Fire Clan - you will be comfortable."

Finally understanding, the two willingly drank from the peculiar-smelling liquid, delighting in its' immediate effect upon them. Sheba couldn't help but sigh in contentment - the uncomfortable cold had left her completely.

"Puelle, before the librarian arrives, I'd like to ask you something now..." she began, placing her cup on the floor next to her. "The wind...why was it so strong when we arrived?"

"Ah, yes, the winds," he mused, drinking a bit from is tea. "I fear that I cannot explain fully..."

"But you can still explain...?" she urged.

He sighed at her persistence, grinning slightly. "Where to begin...ah. When you arrived here moments ago, did you notice anything in the sky?"

Both Felix and Sheba blinked, signifying their immediate "No." Puelle couldn't help but chuckle at their antics.

"Heh, I thought as much. See, if you head outside right now and look toward the sky, you will see that the Moon...is _very_ close to Prox."

"The Moon?" the Venus Adept repeated, gazing toward the ceiling.

"Yes...you _have_ heard of the legend of the Anemos, correct?" Puelle continued, setting his cup down as Sheba had done.

The two young Adepts agreed in unison. "We had learned of it while we were in Contigo, when we were on our way to Mars Lighthouse. It's also where we all discovered that Sheba is a descendant of the Anemos," Felix explained, pointing to his friend.

"Yes, yes, of course...that makes sense. But what do you _know_ about the Anemos, Heroes?"

The two of them blinked, slightly taken aback by his question. "Well..." Sheba began. "We know that they were advanced Jupiter Adepts, who had - if the stories are true - discovered flight. They had heavy tensions with the Shaman Tribe, and to protect themselves after the seal on Alchemy was placed, they all got together, melding their Psynergy as one, and lifted their city from the ground. It's what caused the crater next to Contigo, and it's what is known as the Moon today."

Prox's mayor was nodding the whole time she was relaying her knowledge on the matter. "Yes, yes, that's all accurate and true. See, since the Moon is so close to Prox, and since it's the city of Jupiter Adepts, many scholars here believe that it's the residents of Anemos that is causing all this wind. In fact, the few people here who had Wind abilities tried to calm the gales, but they failed every time. It seems now..." he paused, looking at Sheba with interest. "...that only a descendant of the Anemos Clan could even hope to calm the winds."

Sheba cocked her head to the side, puzzled. "Hmm? I don't remember telling you that _I_ had calmed the winds..."

"But it's too much of a coincidence for anything else, right? This gale has been going on for the last three days, young Hero. Then you two arrive, and they cease. It's too much to pass off as coincidence, you see."

The young Wind Adept nodded her understanding. As she voiced her agreement, the guard walked back in with the town librarian in tow. The librarian, suffice to say, had seen many seasons come and go. As a female who appeared in her late seventies, her ivory hair fell back across her shoulders as well as covering her ice-blue eyes. As with all members of the Mars Clan, her skin held the locally common blue-green color - and thanks to her age, it appeared paler than the mayor's own skin. She eyed the two young "Heroes" with interest, and took a seat to the side of the mayor's table. She set a large book down on the table with a _thwack_, turning to the next few empty pages. Also, she took out an ink well and quill pen. Dipping the tip of the pen in the well, she set to work, labeling the date at the top.

"Let us begin, then, with the main questions you have brought us today," the Elder said, sitting down in another chair next to Puelle. The soft scratching of the librarian's pen was heard as the two travelers sorted out their questions in their heads. Felix took the first one.

"Hmm...uh...nice day, isn't it?" he faltered, nervous.

Once the two authority's laughter had died away, they replied with "Yes, very much," and "It is now that you're here!" Sheba, flushed with embarrassment, had to settle with nervous laughter and elbowing Felix in his side..._hard_. He was still rubbing at his tender side when Sheba glared at him, her eyes saying that they needed to be serious, for her sake. He bowed his head, apologetic, and allowed her to continue with the real questions.

"Ah, wow...Felix, you're a nutcase. Anyway...hm...ah. Have either of you two heard of the recent troubles that have fallen upon the Jupiter Lighthouse and the people of Contigo?" she asked, receiving their immediate nodding. They explained that the citizens of Prox who have been granted permission to travel have reported that very thing, along with their concerned opinions on the matter. "Well, what do you think is happening, based on your knowledge?"

"Well," the Elder began, leaning back in his seat. The old chair gave a frail _squeak_ in complaint at the shifting weight. "What we have to offer, you probably already know. We know that the scholars have been studying the Anemos ruin for quite some time now, learning about the Wings of Anemos and the Lemurian ship they go to. We have also received word that they tried...er, _desperate_ means of entering the inner sanctum, with courteous aid from the people of Loho. Finally, we also know of the mysterious voice they heard, and of the supposed 'curse' on the Jupiter Lighthouse."

Sheba leaned forward, hopeful. "Anything else, by chance?"

To her dismay, the old man shook his head. "I fear not, child. I've seen too many days to remember the details of the Anemos. Perhaps you will find the records our librarian keeps more helpful to you on this subject."

She sank back in her seat, sighing in defeat. She was hoping she could receive immediate answers regarding her heritage, rather than have to dig through dusty old books. She looked toward Felix, giving him the floor, and hoping he didn't choke again.

The Venus Adept nodded, then turned to face the respected Puelle. "Perhaps you could tell us about the people of the ancient clans? The Anemos, the Shamans, the Lemurians...?"

"Well...hmm...again, what we have to offer, you may already know, Hero," Puelle stated, taking another sip of his tea. He set it down with a dull _bump_. "Let's see...from what I can recall, the customs of the ancient Clans died away when the Seal on Alchemy was placed, particularly the Anemos..."

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Though they had hoped so much, the two young Adepts had gotten few new answers from the well-respected leaders of Prox. Through many times of their saying "Consult the librarian's records," they finally gave in, requesting anything the old woman had before the time the Seal was placed, as well as any others they might be interested in. Of course, Felix was roped into helping the poor woman with carrying all the records out into her lobby. Once the two travelers were satisfied that a _long_ night was ahead of them, they thanked her, and set to work. To their relief, a comfortable sofa had been placed in the lobby, and they had sat on it to begin their studying. Puelle, having nothing better to do than to aid the "Heroes," came as well, and began sifting through the myriad of records, looking for anything that might interest them. He sat on a chair opposite them.

Felix, after the fifth hour and third exhausted record, was bringing back yet another cup of warm tea for his friend. Between the two of them they had gone to nearly two pots - about thirteen cups - and a basket of warm, tasteless bread. He set the cup on a table next to her, where a saucer full of bread crumbs already rested. He stopped counting the number of times Sheba had sighed with frustration - certainly, at least seventeen. Obviously, she felt that they were getting nowhere fast.

"Mmm...thanks," she mumbled, noticing her next cup of the warm drink. "Have you got anything yet, Felix?"

_'You mean, besides the Mating Rituals of marine life?'_ he thought, remembering his second record he opened. He had, of course, slammed it shut, nervously explaining why he had done so. "Not quite...I'm going through the 'Tales of Yepp, the Boatsmaster' things right now. You?"

"No!" she cried, nearly jumping up in aggravation. "Gah, all I've got is 'How to Navigate the Lemurian Seas!' _Which_, by the way, can't be right! It says that you should start at a Southern entrance - the one we took the first time - and says you should make a right turn between some rocks! There were _no_ right turns between _any_ rocks when we were there!"

"Okay, okay, calm down!" he hastily said, picking up the record she had carelessly let fall to the floor, where a pile of unread documents were already lying. "It's okay, it's okay...don't worry about it..."

"Ugh...I just want..._answers_, Felix! Or, at least, something to point us in the right direction. I'm tired of stumbling into circles I don't need to be in!" she complained, gazing down at her hands. She mumbled something about a "stupid librarian" under her breath.

The older of the two "Heroes" approached her carefully, talking in a soothing tone. "Don't worry about it, Sheba. Let's just put this one away-" he reached for the record she was gripping tightly, "-and move on to another one, okay? We'll read it together, alright? I'm done fishing through this 'Yepp's Tales' bit, anyway."

She nodded, easing the grip she had on the poor book's spine. Color rushed back to her knuckles as she sighed, trying to calm herself down. The girl allowed him to place the book upon the moderately large pile before them while she picked up another that caught her eye. This one wasn't quite as old as the others - in fact, the Boatsman Yepp wrote it himself.

"_More_ information concerning Yepp?" Felix drawled silently, though he pretended to look interested. He plopped down on the sofa, inching closer to Sheba. _'Just to get a better look,'_ he told himself. As he stopped right next to her, Sheba blushed a little. She wasn't used to being so close to her protector of over half a year.

She opened the book, skimming through the pages with her thumb, until she saw a large, bold heading. She stopped on that page, reading it aloud - "Proximity to History." Both Adept cocked their eyebrows, intrigued, and began reading. Apparently, this particular section was about how, since Lemuria was rather close to Yallam, Yepp would make frequent trips to the ancient city, often gone for days at a time. Also, because of Conservato's still-standing suspicions, the Boatsmaster was reduced to studying the architecture of the abandoned section of Lemuria. Even so, he was able to derive much of Lemuria's older history from the records he recovered, logging them in his own books for further consideration. The section went on to say that Yepp related his adventures to the children of Yallam - the brightest and most interested being a young boy named "Sunshine."

The two young Heroes both saw this, and "Hmm"-ed together as they did. They looked at each other, Felix whispering "Yallam" in interest. Sheba nodded.

"I guess we know where we have to go next, huh?" she stated, receiving his agreement. "Yeah...we might find more answers in Yepp's records..."

They continued reading for the next hour, tea and bread forgotten. Sheba had allowed Felix to continue looking through the book while she moved on to another document involving the Shamans. And as Felix was finishing the last paragraph of how Yepp explained his opinions of Mt. Aleph, he felt a light weight fall on his shoulder, along with a muffled thump . He looked down - the young Wind Adept had finally fallen asleep!

Felix simply sat there, stunned - not by her falling asleep on his arm, but the way she looked so...happy as she did so. A small smile formed on her lips as she lightly breathed, shifting to get closer to the warmth that was Felix.

All he could do was blush.

"It seems," Puelle began, surprising the young Hero, "that she's had her fill of knowledge tonight."

Felix gazed at him, noticing that he only had one book in his hand, and that he hadn't touched the others he brought with him. "I guess so...but have you ?" he whispered, chuckling silently as to not wake up the "God's Child."

The Proxean mayor shook his head. "No, no...I find history quite interesting, actually. The more you know about the world, the better you become at surviving in it, after all," he replied matter-of-factly.

"Ah, yes..." the Venus Adept said, slowly moving away from Sheba so she could slide to the sofa gently. "And a good way to survive is to sleep when you need it. So, I think we'll retire for the night - let me get her to the inn..." He leaned over her slightly, inching his arms under side. He lifted her with such care, it was almost as though Sheba was his baby sister. He marveled at how she was still so light.

"Uh...young Hero, surely not the inn?" Puelle said, standing up in a rush, a look of slight worry marking his features.

Felix turned to face him, the cute Jupiter Adept curling up slightly in his arms. She leaned into him, enjoying the warmth he provided, the smile still playing across her lips. "Why not, Puelle? It's just a short walk across town - it's no big."

"Well, yes, and I know you would be able to handle it...but I cannot allow you to be charged for the rooms when I can provide you with one for no cost." At this, Prox's mayor received a perplexed look. "Please," he continued, "rest in my house tonight...I can provide you with accommodations that rival that of the inn, and at no charge to you!"

The Earth warrior considered this for a moment, realizing it would be good to hold on to as many of his coins as he could - no telling when he might need them. He nodded to the request, following Puelle out the door. To Felix's relief, the wind had remained unchanged since Sheba had willed it to calm, and a gentle, pleasant breeze was playing with their hair as they walked across the snow to Puelle's mansion. He gazed around the peaceful town, asleep in the soft glow of the moonlight punching through the clouds overhead. Hearing Puelle open his door, he picked up the pace a bit, still treading softly to avoid waking up the girl in his arms. He continued following the mayor as he walked downstairs, leading them to the long futon he had in a corner. With a smile and a goodnight, he walked back upstairs, yawning.

Felix sighed - he wasn't used to being so close to the one he's protected for over half a year. He set her down on one end of the bed, and started to walk away to put his gear on a nearby desk - when something caught his arm. His head whipped around...and he saw Sheba's disgruntled face, her arm holding on to his, as though begging him not to leave. When he realized this subconscious action of hers, he blushed, conflicted if he should sleep by her side as he knew was best, or disappoint both of them and move to the other end.

Of course, he chose what was in Sheba's best interest, as he had always done. He grinned slightly - oh, what a scene this would make in the morning!

With his free hand, he unstrapped the sword hanging behind his waist, setting it down gently, and having it lean against the futon. He stifled his laughter when the girl hanging on to him moaned in her sleep, impatient. He softly climbed on to the bed next to her, allowing her to rest on his arm. He blushed even more when she immediately cuddled up next to him, the contented smile returning in no time.

Felix looked upon her face, grinning slightly. Giving in to his temptations, he softly moved her hair away from her face, caressing her forehead with the slightest touch. To his pleasure, she sighed into his sleeve, shifting herself to be closer to him. His grin grew, and he closed his eyes, following her into the most peaceful slumber he's ever had.

**End chapter 6**

Author's notes: Ahh, a good way to end this part of their adventure, huh? I hoped you enjoyed reading this chapter...because I enjoyed writing it! Tell me what you think through that small purple square to the left...you know what I mean.

Next chapter: The two continue their trip, going to Yallam to speak with the adolescents there...and they meet up with someone they didn't expect!


	7. Yallam

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping fic made by Leoshi! …It's justified!

!Disclaimer! Hmm…wha…? No, don't sue…I don't own the game! Put away that gun…I'm trying to sleep! Ugh, and I was _just_ dreaming about how I would get the Sol Blade…

Welcome back! Glad to see you could make it here, to my favorite fanfic I've ever written! ((Which, coincidentally, is also my _first_.)) If you – I hope – read all the chapters leading up to this one, then you remember how Felix and Sheba had to pull an all-nighter in Prox. They failed, but made up for it with a bit of fluff!

And here, in this chapter, the two move on to the opposite corner of the world – to Yallam. They're hoping to ask the people there if they remember what Yepp, the Boatsmaster, told them through his stories.

**Chapter 7:** Yallam

It had been a morning neither of the Adepts would soon forget. Sheba awoke first, feeling warm and content – peaceful. When she realized where she had slept, she jumped away in a slight panic. She had forced herself to one end of the futon, blushing madly and breathing hard. Of course, her sudden movements had cause Felix to wake up as well, and he felt peaceful at first, too. Then, reality came back to him as he looked at his friend, curled up on the other end of the bed, averting her gaze shyly. Realizing that she would like to avoid the question "Why?," he simply asked if she felt sick. He had risen off of the bed, getting her some water to help her calm down. Of course, he knew the _real_ reason why she was so red, but he avoided last night's affair completely.

After they had said their farewells to Prox – much to the disappointment to the townsfolk – they had used the Lapis to go to the far Southeastern village of Yallam. Because of the distance between the two towns, both Felix and Sheba were almost drained of their Psynergy. It was just so much easier when there were eight people contributing their energy, instead of the present two. Once the last of the blue light had left their bodies, _both_ of them nearly tripped on themselves. Luckily, Felix's quick arm had managed to stop both of them - and, to his embarrassment, his hand had fallen on a certain..._area_...of Sheba's torso. Obviously, once he realized, he jumped back, apologizing profusely. Both of their faces flushed red, and they avoided conversation for a moment on account of embarrassment.

Now, they were walking through the front gates when something caught Sheba's eye. She turned around to see a large ship...a Lemurian ship. In fact, it seemed familiar - and when she saw the two massive Wings of Anemos protruding from its' sides, she realized why.

"Felix!" she called, walking toward the huge vessel. He turned, finally seeing what she was seeing, and followed her toward the craft. "What do you think of it?" she asked, realizing he was behind her.

"I think...Piers is here...but, why is he _here_?" Felix wondered aloud, turning his gaze toward the quaint town before them. He saw some people walking around, attending to their duties while trying to avoid the children that were running around them.

"How should I know, Felix?" she asked, quirking her eyebrow and grinning.

His face became a soft red, embarrassed at her point. "Okay, I guess you're right."

"Well?" she began, turning to face Yallam's gates. "Let's head on in and see if we can find him!" She left Felix's side, trotting toward the opening. It took him friend a few seconds to catch up with her. The two passed through the gates, watching a small group of kids chase each other to the town's park-like area, where all the stumps and stones were made to match Yepp's songs. As the last one laughed his way behind a stump, Sheba tugged at Felix's sleeve. He turned to face her, seeing that she was looking at something. He shifted his gaze, and saw what she was looking at.

Piers was sitting on a bench outside the general store, head back, eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight. A large grin was playing his face, and he sighed twice before the two adventurers came up to him. They deliberately stood in the way of the sunlight, shading his face. This caught his attention, and his eyes snapped open, the iris of each one contracting to the light around him.

"Ugh...hmm?" he mumbled, blinking a few times to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "...Felix? Sheba?"

The two of them just stood over him, mischievous grins across their faces. After a moment, Piers jumped up from the bench, realizing that it was, indeed, them. In his joy, he embraced them both, much to the surprise of the two of them.

"Oh, my friends! What a surprise! I had not expected to see you here! How _are_ you two doing? How's the journey coming along? Tell me, what have you found? ..."

His questions continued for the next few seconds. Finally, when he ran short of breath, he stopped, looking to them for answers.

"Well, we've found an overly-ecstatic Mercury Adept in Yallam, of all places," Felix began, soon shifting his gaze toward the town gate, indicating the not-so-oblivious Lemurian ship.

"So...so jail me - I'm happy to see my friends," Piers responded, a look of mock resentment on his face. Sheba soon replied with a muttered "...never _this_ happy..."

"Yeah," the Venus Adept continued, looking toward Sheba, then back to Piers. "You've never been quite so excited to see us before - not when you entered the Kalay region, for example. I wonder...is there something more for you to be happy about? You _were_ smiling to yourself, after all..."

At this, Piers suddenly blushed and stood rigid. He made an attempt to clear his throat, shifting his eyes in an attempt to look at the general store behind him. The two travelers didn't miss this motion, and the young girl jumped on it.

"I think you're hiding something."

She wasn't expecting his reaction. When she finished her statement, Piers became even more tense, and began to stare intently at a random area in the sky. He was breathing a little harder, trying to will away the blood from his cheeks. As soon as he managed it, however, the door of the market behind him opened, and a singing voice emanated from it.

"Piers! Sorry I took so long - I had to...oh?"

From behind their friend, Felix and Sheba noticed a young, striking woman of about twenty years. She was poking her head out from behind Piers, and was giving the two of them a perplexed look. Her short, cerulean hair created a flimsy cage in front of her face, and she jerked her head to clear her vision of the blue strands.

"Friends of yours, dear?"

Eventually, a wide smile punched through Piers' features, and he, too, began to laugh with his two friends at his own antics. While he was ending with a hearty chuckle, he was thinking of a way to surprise the two of them even further. A simple and pleasing idea came to his mind, and with one quick motion, he turned on his heel, lifted the new girl's face by her chin, and landed his lips with hers. This had his desired effect - the two Adepts, now behind him, stopped laughing and could only stare at him. However, Piers got lost in the moment, and had to pull away due to shortness of breath. Even then, he couldn't tear his gaze away from who was obviously his betrothed.

"Honey, please, would you introduce me, at least?"

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After several minutes of explaining, Felix and Sheba had discovered few things. Piers was, obviously, in love with a girl by the name of Siara, a local Mercury Adept who served as a healer and a teacher for the children. They had met in an odd way – as Piers was anchoring his ship in the river, he didn't see Siara crouching by the edge of the water, and very nearly hurt her. Of course, she was too fascinated by the Lemurian Ship to possibly be mad at him (she had, in fact, soon forgotten how she had almost gotten hurt, and therefore didn't know why the new Lemurian was apologizing). Somehow – and to Sheba's slight annoyance – Siara had managed to get Piers to say his age, and she accepted it. Even more of an annoyance to Sheba was that, when she asked how old he was, both the Water Adepts fell silent on the matter, although grinning.

"I think there might be some storms coming in tonight…" Sheba threatened, although everyone knew she was playing around.

"So!" Piers began, resting his head on Siara's as they both sat on the bench, their arms wrapped around one another. "What progress have you two made? Any luck, I hope, to you're further history, Sheba?"

Felix and Sheba had decided to take a lunch break. They were presently sitting on the sun-warmed grass, responding to various questions between mouthfuls of rolls and water.

"Not quite," the Jupiter descendant replied, swallowing a lump of bread. "We _have_ made a little headway, but not nearly enough as to satisfy me. In fact, it's that headway that brought us here."

Siara, after finishing a warm roll she was offered, asked the next question. "What's your journey? …Sorry, I guess I missed something…"

"No, no, it's okay – I don't blame you. After the kinds of things I've seen in my travels, it's easy to accept the improbable," Piers reassured, giving his love a gentle squeeze. "They're travelling in hopes of discovering Sheba's family – her blood relatives."

"Hmm? You don't know? Who did you spend your childhood with, Miss Sheba? Aren't they your family?"

Sheba flushed a little at being called "Miss Sheba." She was so accustomed to being around the familiar of her best friends, and being given a prefix made her feel like she had power that she didn't desire.

"Just Sheba, if you please. I'm used to that," she said, grinning. "And no, the people I grew up with – the people of Lalivero – aren't my blood family. It's…kind of a long story…"

"I'll tell her," the Lemurian began, "if you're not comfortable with it."

Piers recalled back to his days adventuring with Felix, Sheba, Jenna, and Kraden. It had been the night following the Kimbombo escapades, as the group took the night becoming familiar with one another. When Sheba was asked about where she hailed from, she became extremely flustered, and she had faltered more than once. By the time she had finished her attempt to explain – and to everyone's concern, particularly Felix's – she had withdrawn to her and Jenna's tent in frustration. As the night wore on, grunts and moans of anger and frustration sounded from the tent, and, occasionally, Jenna's voice trying to calm Sheba enough for sleep.

Needless to say, Sheba was relieved at Piers' offer.

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"Excuse me, is this the house of the blacksmith Sunshine?"

An odd look was given to the boy from Vale, and it soon melted into one of hope. "Yes, yes, come _in_, please!" the wife said, widening the door to allow Felix and Sheba access. With a wary expression, the two entered the house. Sheba also noticed the woman's eyes dart to her coin pouch, a desperate flame in her eyes.

"Sunny, dear, get _up_! We've got company!" the missus urged her husband, signaling her son to fire up the furnace.

Felix noticed this, and broke into it. "Oh, no, we're not bringing anything to re-forge! Sorry – we just want to ask Sunshine some questions, if it's not too much trouble…?"

The woman instantly deflated, having her hopes risen and fallen in a matter of seconds. Her son, who had barely gotten off of his place in a chair, settled back down with a relieved grin. He continued with the reading that he was doing before the two adventurers arrived.

All Sheba could offer was a weak smile in apology, and the woman looked away, defeated, and feeling a little foolish.

"Yeah? Whaddya want, then?" the blacksmith Sunshine asked, glancing over from the bed he almost always occupied. He had nearly risen fully from this spot at his wife's urging, but as soon as Felix dashed any hoped of work, he returned to his original position with a quiet sigh.

"Well, see…you remember the Boatsmaster Yepp from your childhood, right?" Felix asked, also looking apologetic toward Sunshine's wife.

Sunshine quirked an eyebrow at him, curiosity allowing him to respond with his own question. "Yeah…an' how d'you know, hmm?"

"We've found sources," Felix responded, "in the far North, in a library where generations of Weyard are kept. They tell of the Boatsman going out on numerous ventures toward the North, out into the ocean. Whenever he returned, he would share stories of what he saw, whom he met, and why he was gone for longer than predicted."

"I get th' picture," Sunshine growled, getting into a more comfortable position on his bed. "So, what's that got to do with me? Sure, I liked to hear Yepp's stories, but that was years ago! I don't know what you want outta me, but you're best to come back when it's rainin'! Otherwise, I ain't workin'!"

Sheba blinked twice, taking a moment to comprehend this. "R…raining?" she breathed. "I don't understand…"

"See," Sunshine's wife cut in, noticing the severe annoyance marking her husband's face, "Yallam hasn't seen rain in a long time. Months, even. Shortly after this drought began, Sunshine here made a pact not to work for the money we need, until we're able to buy some food with it. With the swamp – Taopo Swamp, you know – being uninhabitable, we've got to rely on the immediate land around us. And, since the drought hasn't lifted yet, the land's been getting harder and harder to farm in."

Felix nodded his understanding. "But, really now, our questions can't be labeled as 'work', can they?"

His heart sunk when the wife shook her head. "I'm sorry…my husband is incredibly stubborn," she added in a whisper. "Sorry…he won't talk about this unless he's working on something, like some rusted staff. You won't get anything out of him…"

Sheba nodded, crestfallen. Her arm twitched – in her eagerness for new information, she had held a tightly clenched fist, so tight it was causing her arm to shake slightly. She hadn't noticed this until after Sunshine's wife dismissed them, and she flexed her fingers as she and Felix walked out into the hot afternoon.

"Ah! Back so soon, Mister Felix? He must've known what you were looking for!" Siara called, looking up from her spot of rest on Piers' shoulder. Piers, however, wasn't so enthusiastic at their quick exit.

"He…didn't have anything to say to you, did he?"

Felix shook his head, looking at the ground as he walked toward his Mercury Adept friend. By mistake, he ran his arm into a Yallam local, and he muttered an apology. The man he bumped into grunted, and jogged down the incline toward the shops.

"Oh, I…I'm sorry…I just assumed that…" Siara began, trying to form a coherent reason.

Sheba closed the door to Sunshine's house after thanking the family for their time. "Well, that certainly worked just _fine_, didn't it? Lot of good that smith is!"

"Hey, Sheba, it's all right…it'll just be a little harder than we thought…" Felix started, reassuring her. "We've just got to keep looking, that's all…"

He stopped in mild confusion as she shook her head, and a relieved smile appeared on her face once her sand-colored hair settled. "Not really…the master smith may not be helpful, but the apprentice is a _lot_ more courteous!"

When all she got for a response were three befuddled looks, she elaborated. "His son got up after you left, Felix, and told me something. He said that his father used to tell _him_ the stories that Yepp would tell his father. And the one story he would always want to hear 'one more time' is how Yepp somehow found his way in and out of the Sea of Time! So, since his son was so intrigued by our visit, he suggested we go into the Sea of Time and see if we can find what we're looking for."

After a few seconds of silence, Felix nodded. "Right, then…well, since nobody could possibly _live_ in that Sea-" at which Piers nodded, "-we should probably just go to Lemuria, then…"

Sheba nodded vigorously, her smile widening a little more. "A trip to Lemuria would be nice – real easy to _slow_ down there!" she joked.

As he laughed with his three friends, Felix reached down toward the pouch at his waist, where he kept all the Psynergy-inducing stones and accessories he acquired through his travels. Soon, however, his laughter died out, and his look of happiness was soon converted into one of confusion. At this, Sheba asked him what the problem was, and he couldn't hold back the shock in his voice.

"My pouch is gone! The pouch with the Lapis!"

As he finished, Piers and Siara quickly rose from their place on the nearby bench, and Sheba simply stared in disbelief. All she could mutter was "Wha…how…what on…"

It took mere seconds for Felix's thinking to come to a conclusion. _'Wait, stop…think…what happened…we went into Sunshine's house…I had it then – I felt it when his wife looked for my coin pouch…and nothing happened inside…I walked outside… Something must have happened between when I came outside, and now… There was that local who…oh, god…no, he…he couldn't have… That man…'_

"We have to catch that man!" Felix said, half stating, half shouting, looking around the town in a fit as he did so. "That guy I bumped in to! He mugged me!"

"Ah…ah…we- we have _got_ to find him, Felix!" Sheba said, almost begging. "That Lapis is our best means! If we can't find it, th-"

"HEY! GET BACK HERE, YOU DAMNED CROOK!"

All four Adepts involuntarily jerked their heads toward the source of the shout – the local item vendor. They saw the same man Felix had bumped into earlier burst out of the door, clutching a handful of various fruits and meats to his chest. Behind him, the woman who ran the shop ran after him, brandishing a sharp knife and yelling at the top of her lungs. She chased after him – Felix and Sheba had joined her, determined to catch the thief – but the man was already turning North at Yallam's entrance, dropping two apples and a pear as he did so.

The shop's owner paused at the North exit, realizing that she couldn't possibly get him now, and wondering what on Weyard could those two other people be thinking as they passed her on both sides. She heard one of them mutter something about "Psynergy" and a pouch, but she concerned herself with being angry and recovering the apples and pear that were lost.

Felix was running ahead, willing the ground beneath him to shift and slope to help him gain speed – Sheba was soon at his side, a gust of wind pushing her forward. However, this did little; once the man realized he was _still_ being pursued, he gained speed himself.

"Keep chasing after him!" Felix told Sheba in a yell. "I'll melt into this dirt and try to head him off!"

At a quick nod from Sheba, the Venus Adept – never breaking his stride – concentrated on the ground before him. Felix began to shimmer silver and azure, his eyes switching from their dark brown to an empty black. Finally, when he felt that his faithful Psynergy would work, he leapt forward, going into a dive at the earth beneath him. With a sound of shifting sand and a slight _slurp_, Felix vanished – all that remained was a small lump of earth, moving unnaturally, and moving fast.

The thief never broke stride, either. Somehow, even with the aid of the wind behind her, the Jupiter Adept simply couldn't reduce the distance between her and the man before her. Felix, however, was managing to mutate the dirt and clay immediately in front of him that would otherwise hinder his progress, and thus appeared to gain speed. This continued for another several seconds until the thief noticed what appeared to be a moving mound of sand, at his left side, going nearly as fast as he was…

With a sound of thunder, even though the only clouds were dozens of miles away, the cliff range to the thief's left side shifted. Everything from specks of dirt, to boulders, to what seemed to be the whole cliff itself, came tumbling down ahead of him. They toppled over the even ground, creating a severe obstacle to him. He slowed down for just a moment, saw an opening he could fit through, and ran even harder, the lump of dirt still keeping up with him. He allowed himself a quick sigh of relief once he had cleared the mound of rubble – it appeared that he had managed to outrun the girl chasing him…

Again, the crash of thunder sounded despite the lack of clouds overhead. The man looked behind him when he felt a massive gust of wind hit his side, bringing with it various stones and pebbles. He saw that, somehow, a large gap had been blown into place in the dead center of the wall of rubble – standing before it, with her eyes closed, was the girl he had just thought to have outran. The force of the wind and stones hitting his face forced the crook onto his backside. He grunted as he hit the ground, and saw an upside-down face, nearly covered in long, dark brown hair. The face was one of rage, and the hand that belonged to the person above him was stretched out toward him. For a fleeting moment, the thief thought that it was an offer to be helped up.

That thought was dashed away as the voice of the person before him growled "Give me…my pouch…_now_…"

The severity of the anger in this man's voice caused the thief to shudder, even though the land was in a drought. Then, more shock came to the thief's face as he saw the girl catch up to him, wielding a beautifully crafted staff, which was glowing ominously…

Thinking fast, and moving faster, the mugger threw the pouch he had lifted earlier, _hard_, at the man before him, and just as quickly, blasted some synthetic dust, sparkling and white, into the girl's face. The boy managed to deflect the thrown bag with highly honed instincts; in doing so, pushing the items within around, thus forcing them out of the bag and scattering them on the ground. The boy's choke of frustration was drowned out by the girl's gasp of surprise – the dust that was tossed had managed to find its' mark, and the thief smiled in content. Moving just as quickly as before, he jumped up to his feet, shoving the boy out of his way with his now free hand, still clutching the fruit and meat to him as though the lives of a colony depended on them.

"Damn it…is it all here…? Sheba, look for the Lapis – make sure it's here!" Felix cried, his eyes dashing to-and-fro for the small stone. "Sheba…Sheba! Can you see it?"

"No…no, I can't…I can't see it…" Sheba trailed off, rubbing at her eyes in desperation. Felix caught that she had said "can't" rather than "don't", as well as the absence of a "yet" that would have made sense. Before he could inquire about this, she shouted out in a fright, "I can't see a thing! Felix…Felix, where are you! I can't see…can't…"

Felix, also frightened, stood up and caught her hand that was flailing about. Panting and scared, Sheba quickly went over to Felix's side, and he draped his arm across her shoulders, trying to comfort her. Before he could ask her how this had happened, a new thought dashed across his mind. He hadn't been able to see the Teleport Lapis in the scattered innards of his satchel, which meant that the man they were chasing…he had managed to grab it before taking off again.

"Sheba, listen to me…Sheba, please, calm down for a second…now listen…that guy that mugged me…he's still got our Lapis, Sheba. Now, I'm going to try and catch him again – you need to stay here. I do _not_ want you to move, understand? No, no, calm down…cry if you must, but stay calm. Stay here, don't leave, and wait for me to return, okay?"

Sheba was pleading. "No…no, please, don't leave…why is this happening…I can't see…where are you, Felix? …Felix! Felix!!!"

Felix had already begun another chase, made even more desperate with the thief now having a massive lead start. Felix knew that it wasn't the best of ideas, leaving Sheba behind in a blind state – but if he couldn't get the Lapis back, they couldn't go anywhere.

Felix rounded another cliff range, and saw the flash of clothing from the thief as _he_ turned into a hill area. He still gave chase, growling slightly under his breath with rage. Finally, Felix saw the mugger put on a burst of speed, heading straight for the dried up swamp.

The Earth Adept cursed under his breath – if this man managed to find a way into one of the swamp caves, Felix wouldn't be able to follow, not since all his Psynergy items were left with Sheba. But then, the thief couldn't get into the caves in the first place, if that was the case.

"Give me back what's mine!" Felix shouted, running through the marshy grasses above the abandoned boat. His eyes narrowed in anger as he spotted his target, taking a quick breather on the end of the first wooden ledge as he assessed his situation. "You've nowhere to run! Give me back my Lapis!"

Felix was stopped in his tracks by surprise – the thief had turned, shook his head, and _grinned_. "I fear not, my boy. My needs are far greater than yours."

"That's a lie! You're a thief! You've got your food, so live for another day – you don't need my Lapis!"

Again, the mugger shook his head. "I would recommend against coming any closer. You don't know what I'm capable of, my boy."

"And you don't know what _I'm_ capable of, either!" Felix shouted, rushing at the thief, his sword drawn. With a grunt, the crook managed to blast another cloud of pearl-white dust into the air, aiming at Felix's face. Of course, Felix would stand for this.

"GRANITE!" he summoned, accessing one of the nine Venus Djinni within him. He felt a slight drop in his strength as a shimmering aura enveloped him, and saw, with relief, the dust scatter away before him. Never breaking stride, he jumped into the air, bringing his blade down into the man in front of him, who was mere inches away now…

Felix gasped in disbelief. Somehow, his weapon had not harmed the thief…in fact, it had gone right through him, causing a shimmer and no damage. He looked into the man's face, to see him wearing a smug grin, one with both relief…and apologetic tones etched into his features. Before the Venus Adept's eyes, the mugger began to shimmer all across his body, and pulsating blue rings began to travel up his height. Then, shockingly, the thief disappeared, leaving behind only a spot where natural dust wasn't present.

He couldn't believe this. How could this man, a mere mugger, manage to use the Teleport Lapis, _his_ Teleport Lapis, to escape?

'_It doesn't make sense…how could he? He didn't seem to know any Psynergy, and I didn't detect any Venus elemental strength in him…but then…oh, Alchemy's unleashed upon the world…that means…everyone on Weyard is able to use Psynergy on _some _level… But then, how come I didn't sense any Earth power in him before? Perhaps…no, he's not linked to Venus, then…it's one of the others…he can use Psynergy…he can use it…'_

"By the elements…damn it…" he swore, picking up his sword, placing it back in the sheath behind his waist.

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"Sheba, are you alright enough to stand?"

"Oh, Felix!" she breathed, not bothering to hide her relief. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine now."

"…Oh? How's your sight, then?" he asked, raising his eyebrow in curiosity.

"It's getting better…it's actually getting better! Apparently, that dust can only work for a limited time – I started to see better what feels like five minutes ago," she explained, grinning broadly. "Thank Anemos…I thought it would be permanent."

Felix nodded, immensely relieved. "Sheba…" he began, staring at his satchel in her hand; while Sheba was waiting, she had recovered all of the Psynergy items normally held within the pouch, returning them to their rightful place.

"Go ahead and tighten that bag up, Sheba…I…I wasn't able to get our Lapis back…" Felix admitted, kneeling down to her level, his head lowered in shame. Before the Jupiter Adept could ask, he continued. "He…the mugger…_used_ the Lapis…he _used_ it, Sheba, to escape…"

"Wha…" she stammered in disbelief. "How…how could he…"

"It's Alchemy, Sheba. Since we broke the seal on it, and it was unleashed upon Weyard, it seems that _everyone_ is able to use Psynergy on some level. Apparently…that thief was tied…to an element…not Venus…"

"Or Jupiter, either…" she stated, staring blankly at the nearby coastline. Her eyes had gone out of focus, as she thought this through.

Her friend nodded, sighing. "Hmm…this would be the second time I've ever disliked Psynergy and Alchemy…"

At this, she looked up, scowling in confusion. "_Second_ time? What are…"

"Yeah," he began again, standing back up, offering his hand to her. "The first time was when you, Jenna, and I were crossing the Dekhan Plateau, remember? That Mars Djinni with the Pound Cube? By the elements, that pissed me off _so_ much!" he finished with a chuckle. Sheba joined in with his laughing, but was the first to stop.

Shortly after they proceeded back to Yallam – and after they passed the very odd-looking wall of rubble leading to the hills on one side and the coast on the other – Sheba had a funny thought.

"What is today?" she asked, stopping next to a sun-dried bush. Felix, having stopped a few feet farther than her, gave her a perplexed look as he responded:

"Should be…yeah, September the thirteenth. Why?"

His friend looked up, a saddening shine in her eyes. "I just remembered…I'm fifteen today…"

Unfortunate quick thinking halted Felix's attempt to comment on this. Instead, he chose to show his joy and sadness at the situation by placing his arm across his friend's shoulders. At first, she didn't move, though a tinge of pink had come to her cheeks. With a sad smile, Felix bent his head, low enough to look into her violet eyes.

"Happy birthday, Sheba. Happy birthday…"

Finally, she lifted her eyes from the ground to his. Sheba smiled.

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Piers and Siara were at the gate to greet them back. "Finally!" Piers had said, his voice dripping with relief. "We were beginning to get worried about you!"

"Well, _he_ was getting worried, anyway," Siara added, giving her lover a playful nudge to his side. "Were you able to get back your items, then?"

"Sort of," Felix began, touching the satchel at his side. "We…we've lost the most important of our items – our Lapis – to that mugger. Somehow," he continued before Piers could ask how he escaped, "the thief managed to _use_ it, Teleporting away to Sol-knows-where…I…I couldn't follow."

"You're…you're joking, right? He couldn't have taken the Lapis…" Piers stammered, finding it difficult to believe what he had just heard. However, he couldn't deny this. "You've…ugh…"

"Piers, honey?" Siara began, looking up toward the Mercury Adept. "Sorry…what's so-"

She trailed off at her lover's look, and the took of them walked in the direction of the town's park, where he could explain the lengthy detail and give even lengthier answers. Felix and Sheba, however, wandered toward the South exit of the town, where there were fewer people. As they passed the rightmost house, they spotted a fresh warning poster with a rough analysis of the thief they so recently pursued.

"What now, Felix?" she asked, staring at her hands as she thought through any possible options. She only came up with two ways, both nearly hopeless – build a home here, or _somehow_ walk back to Angara. The second option would likely kill the duo without the aid of a Mars or Mercury Adept.

"I…I can't see a way…I have no idea how we can progress further, Sheba. I mean…damn it, it felt like we were getting close…"

Sheba winced slightly at her friend's word choice, but she nodded solemnly at the fact in his tone.

'_This is total…ugh, I can't even **think** it…'_ Felix berated himself internally. _'I still can't really believe this has happened…we were getting on to something, I know it…but now…this journey is a failure, it seems. I have to tell her…it makes it easier if the fact is in the open…I need to tell Sheba that I've…failed…her.'_

With the saddest nod he's had since being forced to agree to Saturos' terms in Prox, when he was told he would have to aid in the thievery of his own hometown in order to even _hope_ of freeing his parents, Felix turned his head upward to cast a sideways glance at his friend. He took a breath…

"Felix, Sheba, I need to talk to you," their old travelling companion, Piers, said, walking up to them just in time. "What did you say your next destination was?"

The two didn't jump, but were nonetheless surprised to see him at the present time. "Oh, Piers…" Sheba acknowledged. "It was…Lemuria…we were going to go to Lemuria."

"Ah, so you are headed for Lemuria, then?" came his reply, hiding a small grin. Neither of the two Adepts before missed the change from past to present tense. As such, both snapped their heads straight up.

"Yeah…we were…" Felix added, testing Piers with suspicion.

The not-quite-so-young Mercury Adept chuckled lightly. "I wish I could see my homeland again, but it's you two who are travelling there-"

"What are you _implying_, Piers?" Sheba snapped, not bothering to look at him. Piers, however, hadn't noticed – else, he had _ignored_ – the harsh tone, and merely stepped a little closer to the shoulders of his friends.

He said, with a nod, "Take my ship, then, friends."

Finally, Felix and Sheba whirled around to look at Piers, confusion marking both their features. A nearly screamed "What?" came from Sheba, while Felix emitted a "You can't be serious…" in a mutter.

"My ship…and yes, I _am _serious," he added with a quick nod at Felix. "I feel that your needs far outweigh my own…actually, it's simply that, at the present time, my needs are different than yours. I _do_ wish, however, that I could give it to you under a different scenario. Don't try to talk me out of this," he said when he noticed Sheba's uncertain look, "because I've set my mind to this."

"How like you…" Felix murmured, casting a glance at the massive vessel anchored less that fifty yards from them.

Piers shook his head, hearing Felix's comment. "You remember my maxim, then?"

The Earth and Wind Adepts couldn't forget. In the days of the travels of Felix and company, Piers was, indeed, impressed by their motives. One night after he was tasked with aiding his friends to light the Jupiter and Mars Lighthouses, he had told them of his views of companionship. He had said that, no matter what the cost, if he could provide help to those friends who needed it, he would provide such help.

"No point in arguing, then…" the Venus Adept stated, more to Sheba than to Piers. "Heh…Piers, perhaps you _can_ give your ship to us under a separate scenario, hmm? You see…this September day is an important day for Sheba." He paused, grinning at the look his younger friend gave him. "Piers…Sheba has reached the age of fifteen today."

Silence reigned for a moment, soon broken by the chuckling of the Mercury Adept. "Well, then, that is how it shall be. My ship is my indefinite gift to you, Sheba. Use it as you will," he finished, placing the dazzling Black Orb in her hands.

Sheba, smiling and overwhelmed, was speechless.

**End Chapter 7**

Author's comments: This is, without a doubt, the _longest _chapter I've _ever_ written. Heh, while the sixth chapter hits 63KB in my computer, this one tops more than 180KB. Yeah, I'm happy to present this to you. With luck – and inspiration – the following chapters will be long and near-between.

Something I feel I should add. The mention of Sheba's birthday, September the thirteenth, is _actually_ the birthday of my older sister. I needed some kind of date, and I had the choice of that or the day this chapter was published.

Finally, a glimpse into the workings of the next chapter. Felix and Sheba, after travelling the Sea of Time's treacherous waters, meet with Lunpa in Lemuria. He reveals various secrets and unveils interesting information.


	8. Lemuria

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping fic created by Leoshi, the One **TRUE** Punchingbag!

!Disclaimer! _Leoshi is found in a basement, duct tape over his mouth, and his hands and feet tied together with rope. On his forehead, the words "The Sol Blade WILL be mine!" have been written in crayon. He's forced to hold up a sign that reads "Camelot owns Golden Sun. Camelot owns Golden Sun. Camelot owns Golden Sun."_

Welcome back – glad to see you back. If you read the last chapter, you saw the many troubles that fell on our two friends as they stopped in Yallam. Trouble such as a stubborn Sunshine, blinding dust, and a thief who stole Felix's Teleport Lapis! However, Piers remained true to his maxim, and gave Sheba his ship as a birthday gift!

In this new segment of the story, Felix and Sheba use the newly acquired vessel to make their way to Lemuria, hoping to direct their many questions toward Lunpa or King Hydros…or, worse case scenario, Conservato.

**Chapter 8:** Lemuria

Felix had his eyes closed. He was concentrating on his might of Venus, his understanding of Psynergy. Light blue pulses of light traveled up and down his frame of body and mind, merging the physical and supernatural as one. With this new combination, he pictured the latest obstacle before him - a stone spire, completely sealing off the way into Lemuria's seas. He grimaced at his own thinking as he imagined the mutating of the stone, beginning at the bottom. Mud churned and flew every which way, pebbles broke off and were hidden in the disturbed dust, and, gradually, Felix thought of the spire disintegrating.

Sheba was watching the results of thoughts forcing the physical. The water surrounding the earthen spire before her and Felix was rolling with the mass vibration underneath its' surface. Slowly at first, but surely, the spire was being destroyed from the bottom up. As Felix continued, he had less mass to mutate as the stone sank, and therefore the process seemed to speed up. Before long, their path into what was once Poseidon's liar was clear.

With a long whoosh of exhaled breath, Felix sank to his knees; sweat was beading on his brow despite the cool air of the Sea of Time. Sheba rushed toward him.

"Damn," he began, releasing his grip on the Grind Stone he had been channeling through just moments previously. "I've got to practice this one before trying it again...I'd forgotten how hard it was to control..."

"You did fine, Felix," his friend began, helping him to his feet. "Perfect, even, I think. We should be able to reach Lemuria without a problem now."

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And that's just what they did. With little effort, the two friends traversed the winding tunnels into the dock areas. They set anchor, and proceeded toward the entrance of the timeless city of legends.

"Hold…who goes there?" sounded a familiar voice. Felix and Sheba both looked up at the sound, and set their eyes on the same two Lemurian guards they encountered months ago.

"My, my…back so soon?" the second guard said, grinning at the familiar faces.

Felix scoffed. "Soon? What did you do, forget about the outside world? It's been months since we've been here last."

Sheba could only shake her head in good humor. "Are we allowed in?"

"_I_ believe you are, anyway. The Senator might not be too thrilled…" one of the Lemurians began, gazing to the archway behind him.

His tone caused a shift for the traveling Adepts – to concern. "What's happened?"

"See," the other cerulean-haired Adept started, "in the last few…well, months, to you…the citizens of this grand city had begun to fully realize how little power they have. The banishment of Piers is what spurred it. Over time, a small group of protestors was formed, and they beseeched the Senate to reconsider Piers' sentence…"

"That group was banished, as well, without a second thought from Conservato," the first guard continued. "Since then, dozens of groups have spawned forth, and each one has tried steadily more drastic means of 'convincing' Conservato. The most recent has actually put the House of the Senate under siege, cutting off the Senators from contact to Conservato altogether. They're fortunate that the good King Hydros has kept Conservato occupied; otherwise, they, too, would be completely restricted from coming home again."

Felix's brow furrowed at this new information. He had always felt that Lemuria couldn't be tainted by strife. When he finally met Conservato, the head of the Senate, his opinions did change – but not so much as to believe near-anarchy within the city. Not within _this_ city.

The two outsiders were allowed entrance by the Lemurians guarding the archway, and they were completely taken aback by what they saw. Small caverns had been dug into the dirt walls leading to the main stairway, providing shelter from prying eyes. Sheba spotted several locals considering them as they passed – one group of four immediately hid a parchment they were working on, shifting the subject to the fabled Lemurian Draught to cover up their intentions. As they climbed the next staircase, they saw, in disbelief, a party of twelve stationed outside the House of the Senate. Every single one of the Lemurians sitting outside the building was either holding a blunt object or a stone – two went as far as to bring short swords to add to the threat. Felix gazed for a moment longer, seeing one of the Senators cast a glance outside a window, soon throwing the curtain back in place when he saw one of the sword-wielders shake the blade in his direction.

"We should look for Lunpa, I think," Sheba said, tearing her gaze from the radical protestors. "Hopefully, _he's_ not in conference with Hydros or Conservato."

"We won't need to look far – he's over there," Felix added. He jerked his head toward the final set of stairs leading to the palace, where a confused Lunpa stood, looking at a paper he held in one hand to the doorways to the palace. He winced slightly every time he heard a shout from his King emanate from the building. The two friends could see his lips move as he muttered something inwardly, once again glancing toward his sheet.

The two Heroes of Weyard stepped over to the noble thief with curiosity – not just at what Lunpa's business with Hydros was, but at the entire current state of Lemuria. It was still so hard to believe that this city, where time waits for you, could be under civil unrest. They approached him, Felix speaking first.

"Lunpa…may we take a moment of your time?"

He couldn't help but think _'As if you'll miss it, here.'_

Lunpa's head jerked around to face the two adventurers, a wrinkle of worry vanishing from his brow as he hid his feelings. "Hmm…Felix, was it? And…Sh…Sheba, correct?" The responses to these questions were nods from both Adepts, and the former thief couldn't help but smile at them. "Well…it seems that Hydros won't be…finished…for a while yet, so sure, I can spare a moment for you. Let's head back to my home, so we may speak in comfort."

Again, the two teens nodded, and they followed the man through the grasses and around a group of three Lemurian friends, discussing how one was luckier than the next. Apparently, all three of these ageless boys had tossed a Medal into Lemuria's pond, and all three had scored perfectly – so, they were just arguing on how the way the coin was thrown could have had any impact on the performance.

As the trio arrived at Lunpa's main room, the ex-thief gently placed his document on a nearby table, sighing lightly to himself as he did. He cleared his throat, composing himself and clearing his thoughts. "How may I help you, friends?"

Sheba took a bit of time to gaze at the various messes of books shoved into Lunpa's shelves, hoping one would be labeled around the ancient Weyard. Nothing stood out.

"Lunpa…what's happening here? Why has Lemuria deteriorated like this?" Felix began, looking toward the door, indicating the social unrest outside.

"Hmm…I thought you'd ask that," the first Noble Thief began, casting a quick glance at his paper. "You've heard about Piers' banishment by Conservato, yes?" he asked, to which both Adepts before him nodded. "Yes, it was that sentence that sparked this whole affair. Piers was well liked in this city, so the community – if you can call it that anymore – didn't take well to the news."

"But placing the Senators under siege?" Sheba blurted in disbelief. "Piers didn't seem _that_ popular; so much as to cause _that_, anyway, no offense to him."

"No, no, of course not, no offense," Lunpa said. "It was the topic of the banishment…see, not too long after you and your party left here, Felix, Sheba…one of Piers' friends went straight up to Conservato _while_ he was in 'conference' with Hydros. That friend shouted at the senator for a minute or so, only pausing for breath. Conservato didn't bother trying to defend his decision; the friend was also banished, on the spot, with no hope of returning with a welcome."

Felix was, once again, racked in disbelief. Rightfully so, too. As a boy growing up under the so-called care of Saturos and Menardi, he had heard many rumors about the fabled city of Lemuria. It was said to be perfect, peaceful, harmony. To be struck with this truth about it, now, was extremely difficult to believe.

"Since then," Lunpa continued, "there have been over a dozen people banished by the other Senators, on Conservato's behalf. The people here began to resort to threats and violence, they were enraged so. You probably saw them – the two men with the blades outside the House? It's because of them that no other Lemurian has been exiled. Also, Hydros has been speaking with the Head Senator for hours now, never giving him room to leave. What I have here," he added, lifting up the document he was studying earlier, "is an order from the people, which urgently needs to reach the King's eyes, as well as Conservato's. If it doesn't, then even time won't tell what will happen here," he finished, downcast.

The Venus and Jupiter Adepts stood silent as they contemplated the severity of this situation. Felix thought about the stories he was told, the glory and superiority he had believed Lemuria to have had in the past. He remembered how, on the night before Saturos' second raid on Sol Sanctum, he had been told all he had known about it. The tales were grand, and the thought of it sounded so sweet to the desperate Fire Adepts all the time.

Sheba, rather, thought about the present – particularly Piers. She thought about his gallantry and friendship toward them all while they travelled the Great Western Sea and greater Northern wastes. What stood out most, however, was how – no matter what the circumstance or consequence – he would _always_ put them before himself. He was a firm believer in humility before honor, and wouldn't miss a chance to exercise it, if it would make a difference.

It was this recollection that led her to make the following utterance.

"What…is there…anything…we can-"

"Please, no," Lunpa started, slight horror in his features. "Don't offer to help – don't attempt to help – don't try to be a hero; not now, not here. This isn't your fight, my friends."

Sheba was flushed with a mix of embarrassment and guilt. Her fellow traveler looked at her, surprise showing through his expression. Neither of them had expected this reaction; furthermore, Felix hadn't expected _Sheba_ to make the offer. He was usually the one to extend the helping hand.

"Please understand, my dear," the Honorable Thief added, "things would simply…no offense…get worse if you tried to intervene. Conservato hasn't forgotten your faces, and I've heard him make an argument concerning you, against King Hydros, several times. I would suggest that you…simply leave the way you came as soon as you can."

"No, not yet."

"Pardon?"

Felix looked up from a book on another of Lunpa's tables. Such a book was concerning the Sea of Time. It was open and dust-free, meaning Lunpa was reading this in his spare time. The page it was open to was revealing that, in the past, there was more to the legendary Sea than the obvious currents and whirlpools. Somehow, this had led Felix to think that exploring the Sea of Time would prove to be a rewarding experience to his current objective.

"Lunpa, there's another matter, another reason as to why we've come here. It seems as though, with your library content-" he paused to point at the mass of books and scrolls about the walls, "-you might be able to help us with this matter."

The former criminal cocked an eyebrow, inwardly relieved that the previous subject had been put aside for the time being. "What matter would this be, then? Perhaps I can help."

The Earth Adept nodded, continuing. "The two of us are searching for her family, and our searches have led us to – in a matter of speaking – the past. We've gone to Prox and the Jupiter Lighthouse, tried to ask about Yepp's stories as a youth, and it's all been revolving around…history. I see here that you're into history, particularly the history of the Sea of Time."

If it was possible for the older man to raise his eyebrow further, it would have. Indeed, Lunpa's interest was piqued. He, too, gazed at his own book, various thoughts and responses already forming.

"Heh…I see you've read about the rest of the Sea, then," he stated with simplicity.

It was Sheba's turn to gaze at her friend. Unfortunately, she had not seen the book in question, and, impulsively and unintentionally, had thought that Felix was purposely keeping things from her again, like he had not-so-several weeks ago. When she finally realized what the two men were talking about, she mentally berated herself for such a thought, and concentrated on where she was. _'More bad luck,'_, she thought, having caught the second half of a sentence that made no sense without the first.

"…the sea is big, you know."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that," Felix replied with annoyance laced in his tone. "Still, it's worth checking out, I think. Sheba, what do you say?"

'_Oh, no…I didn't catch all of that conversation!'_ she thought, panicking slightly. _'I need to play this right, or I'll look ridiculous…I look ridiculous right now, not saying anything! Just agree with Felix, idiot!'_

"Er…yeah, I think so, too," she stammered, a slight tinge of embarrassment coming to her cheeks.

"Wonderful. Oh, ah, before we go…Lunpa, one more subject concerning the Sea of Time… While we were in Prox, we happened upon a book about the Boatsmaster Yepp, of Yallam. According to his studies, there was a secondary path at the beginning of the South entrance to the Sea. Have you read anything about it in your…well, readings?" he asked. Felix stepped aside slightly as to let the Honorable Thief access his book.

To his pleasant surprise, the older man nodded. "I _do_ remember reading about that, somewhere…ah…no…wait, here," he started, wrestling with the book's pages as he fumbled to hold the sheets to the chapter he wanted. " 'Other Routes Through' is this chapter's title. Let's see…yeah, here it is. A crude, but effective, map of the old Sea of Time paths. See here?"

Near the bottom of the map, a thin green line had been drawn by the author of the book, to indicate all the paths he had uncovered. Felix and Sheba saw the darkest one – the main path – follow the same route they had taken on their first visit. Almost immediately after it began, though, a paler green line swerved away, between two rocks that had been darkened. Sheba saw this, and couldn't help but think back to her findings in the Proxean library. She had lost her temper then, slightly, unable to believe such a path existed. Now, with the proof before her, she once again felt a little foolish.

"Mmm-hmm," Felix murmured, taking mental notes of the images. "It's definitely worth checking out."

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This would be the first time in their recent travels that Felix and Sheba didn't get a warm farewell; Lemuria was, in simple terms, too busy quarreling with itself.

After the two friends had acquired their next destination, they saw off Lunpa to the palace, giving him words of luck and encouragement. The former thief grinned, clutched the people's document tightly, and proceeded to the inside, unabated by any of the guards. Once the great doors had closed with a low _bang_, the two turned around and began back toward the docking area. They, too, proceeded unabated, albeit their every move was watched by every available eye.

"Let's go, then," Felix had said, raising the necessary levers to draw Sheba's ship's anchors to the sides, thus enabling it to move. Sheba, thinking ahead, had asked to hold onto her Hover Jade, convinced that even in timeless waters, stones could be moved by the currents.

The Lemurian ship lurched backward, and Felix expertly turned it around, heading through the various tunnels, over the Lemurian Sea, and, finally, back into the Sea of Time.

**End chapter 8**

Author's comments: Okay, okay, not quite as long a chapter as I had hoped – still, it's better than I could have imagined. I finished this near 2 AM, and I'm still amazed at the mass detail written in this installment. I like this one.

You may have noticed that there are _many_ areas of unanswered questions in this chapter. Just to let you know…YES, I _will_ create another fic about Lemuria's future, however long it may take to arrive. I'm not one to leave you in suspense. Unlike **some** Camelot's we know…

Oh, well. Anyway, next chapter! Felix and Sheba have some time to rest while exploring the forgotten Sea of Time areas. Dreams arrive, and chaos ensues.


	9. Timeless Horrors

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping story presented by Leoshi, with wondrous, involuntary aid from the characters of Golden Sun! Rejoice!

!Disclaimer! If I truly _did_ own the franchise, I wouldn't have to post my writings here, now would I? Even then, I wouldn't be writing – I would be too busy slaughtering Dullahan with my Sol Blade! Hmm…that sounds like a good idea…still, I don't own Golden Sun!

Welcome all ye awesome people, to my fanfiction story. As you found out in the eighth chapter, Lemuria was under civil disorder, and it originated from Conservato! …No surprise there, right?

In this next installment, we begin with our two travelers meandering through the Sea of Time, finally coming across the auxiliary path they had found out existed. On with the Truth!

**Chapter 9:** Timeless Horrors

Sheba had her eyes closed. She was concentrating on her gales of Jupiter, her understanding of Psynergy within. With obvious effort, she controlled the power that the Jade drew from her, feeling drained by the powerful Shaman item. She clutched the jewel tightly, holding it at a distance, her whole body pulsating with blue light. A bead of sweat grew heavy enough to roll onto her eyelid, and there it would stay to dry.

Felix was helping in every way he could. He had one hand on Sheba's shoulder, and the other on the helm of the ship – respectively, he had one eye closed, and the other open. Nevertheless, his body, too, had blue pulses travelling up his frame, completely synchronized with Sheba's own. Over time, the Lemurian ship they stood on began to sparkle with a blue hue, gradually lifting off the surface of the water, for where else could a ship be?

The two Adepts grunted with exertion – this was a much simpler process with eight people contributing, rather than the current two. With greater effort than any single Adept could muster, Felix and Sheba finally coaxed the ship to Hover above and over the low sea spires. At a bad time, however, Felix realized he was holding his breath, and that he was running out. Instinctively, he replaced the gas in his lungs, thus causing a break in his severe concentration – the ship lurched downward, breaking the water's surface with an unceremonious _splash_.

The force of the crude, though effective, landing – the ship was completely intact – had knocked the feet out from under the young friends, causing gravity to push them to the deck. Blue pulses of Psynergy, broken from their power loop, had been retracted back into the minds of their respective Adepts. Once Sheba felt completely aware of the current world again, she looked at Felix and gave him a look. Not necessarily a scornful look; rather, it was laced with both annoyance and concern. Felix, on the other hand, looked foolish and apologetic. He voiced his apology, helping his friend to stand.

After Sheba had told him it was alright, the two walked toward the front of the ship, surveying the area. They had done it. They had rediscovered a lost path in the Sea of Time. Given it was much like the primary path, complete with reckless currents and rip tides, with the nearest whirlpool about sixty yards away. The sound of rushing water was abundant, filling the air with the hum of splashing and churning. It was a lulling sound, so much as to make Sheba feel drowsy – the fact that they hadn't slept since before entering Lemuria didn't help, either.

Felix saw his friend let out a large yawn, rubbing at the cool area where the bead of sweat had dried. He stifled a grin. "Yeah, I know," he began, giving her a pat on her shoulder as he walked back to the helm. "We've been doing a lot lately. Want to sleep a while?"

The young Adept smiled, weary after the last several hours. She nodded tiredly, turning toward the ship's door, intent for the small dormitory area within. As he heard the door shut behind her, Felix turned his attention toward the waters before him. Skillfully, he maneuvered the Lemurian vessel across and around various currents, his eyes searching for anything out of the Sea of Time norm.

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As the days continued outside the mass fog, hours were spent atop the churning waters. Twice already, Felix had seen the glint of a morning sun through a thin sheet of fog, yet he knew that, to him, only a few hours had passed. He was impressed by the mysticism of the Sea of Time, thinking back to his family and friends as he pulled out of a small whirlpool. He could just imagine Isaac, his former rival, expertly mending the various roofs around Vault and Vale. He saw his sister in his mind's eye, teaching the young child Adepts how Mars Psynergy can heal when needed. Ivan floated into his mind, leading a small band of workers to a nearby river, in order to divert the flow into the town. Behind the boy from Contigo stood Garet, leading the mass of citizens alongside his father, always learning the aspects of being mayor. Felix chuckled at that last thought – Garet leading a town. What a laugh.

Sheba, meanwhile, had slept those last several hours – or days, as it were – inside the ship. Various images came to her in her slumber, the first several causing her to grin. In her dreams, she was walking alongside her companions – Felix, Jenna, and Piers – toward Contigo, having just docked at the Atteka Inlet to the Southeast. It seemed to her that, like the recent visit to the Atteka continent, the wind was greeting them, throwing up their hair playfully. For the first time in a long while, Sheba was leading the group – it felt as though something was dragging her in, and she had no intention to resist.

The friends entered the village of the Jupiter Lighthouse, stopping at the local inn for some sleeping in _real_ beds, rather than the cushioned benches the ship provided. Before their rooms became available, they had some time to relax and reflect over the events of the days prior to their arrival. Sheba saw Felix standing at a nearby window, gazing out toward the fields of green plant life. Curious, she rose from her seat and moved toward her friend – then something happened.

With the first step she took, she noticed that her entire world became darker, save for Felix…who, despite her movements toward him, wasn't any closer than before. She continued her steps, blacking out her world each time, and broke into a run into blackness when she saw Felix drifting _away_ from her. No matter how far, nor how hard, she sprinted, Felix's form just grew smaller and smaller. It was a short time until he was barely able to be seen.

Sheba grew distressed, slipping on an invisible something, grunting as she landed. She had closed her eyes upon instinct – when she opened them, she found herself looking at…herself. Puzzled, Sheba gazed around – she had ended up back at Vault's inn. To her horror, she realized that this was the night that she shouted at her best friend. She muttered a horror-strewn "No…" under her breath, attempting to rise to her feet. No good. She was immobilized by an unseen force, keeping her down on the floor to watch her sin replay.

To her misfortune, this was the exact time Felix had asked her how she had known about Piers' arrival. She saw the rage that had distorted her features, turning a pretty purple-eyed girl into a disgruntled woman scorned, with a tint of red madness behind her eyes. Her shouts of anger rang out clear for her ears, and tears welled up as she lay on the floor, watching the scene play out. As the Sheba of weeks ago allowed tears to fall, so did the Sheba of today, finally seeing the horrifying effect she had had on her friend – his face was extremely distraught. In all actuality, Sheba could see added moisture to Felix's eyes, as well.

Sheba finally managed to cry out in pain, shifting the scene before her to the Suhalla Desert. She saw kicked-up sand blast her face from the past, obscuring the image. It wasn't needed – she knew this part all too well. She was being escorted by Babi's soldiers from Tolbi, only to come across a small sandstorm. No matter what method was used, the soldiers couldn't get past the whirlwind. After many minutes, Saturos' party came through, knocking away the soldiers as though they were vexing flies. She was grabbed roughly by her wrist, a threatening flame dancing centimeters from her face at Menardi's hand. Behind the flame, she saw Felix – confused, worried, and thinking hard.

As the Lizards were brought out from the winds, Sheba was carried to the place she feared most…the Aerie of the Venus Lighthouse. This was, without a doubt, the single place where she had _no_ opinion of her own; everything was decided for her. She was decided to foresee Isaac's destination; she was decided to go to the Atteka continent to further Saturos' plan; she was decided to go along with the crude means of acquiring his needs. She hated it.

It was Felix. He was the first one in many months to have stood up for her. In fact, he was the first to have _surprised_ Saturos and Menardi by standing up to them. He was thinking for himself, finally, and for Sheba. She feared this place most because of the amount of worry and fear she had caused Felix, things he needn't have had. She saw the anguish on his features as she relinquished her hold on the tower, the confusion behind his eyes as she thanked him, and the determination on his brow as he fell after her.

Still held down by an unknown force, the young Jupiter Adept began to cry out the name of the first person who genuinely helped her. As her friend's name escaped her lips, the Venus Lighthouse vanished, and Felix materialized in its' place. He was standing right above her, looking straight ahead, as though he didn't see her. Sheba continued to call out to him, gaining no response. The more she was ignored by this phantom image of her friend – she had attempted to grip his ankle, only to have her hand phase through, leaving a chill in her fingers – the more distressed she became. Finally, his head lowered, eyes closed. Felix began to walk away, his name still ringing loud in the void.

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The Venus Adept's breath caught in his throat. He had heard his name from the inside of the ship. Puzzled, he turned his head around toward the door, pulling the Lemurian vessel out of a comparably weaker current. He was considering why Sheba would call out for him when he heard his name again, this time screamed. All other thoughts were dissolved, leaving only one remaining – keeping Sheba safe. He swung the nearby lever to drop the anchors on both sides of the ship, running inside the vessel. Taking several turns, he finally came upon the dormitory door, which he burst through without consideration to how sturdy it was. Unintentionally, he caused a crack in the frame.

He rushed to his friend's side, where she had just woken up in a cold sweat, the last image of Felix walking away still imprinted in her eyes. She saw him, and was hesitant to call out to him as she did in her dream. What if this was another disturbing vision? It was impossible to tell. That is, it was impossible to tell until Felix touched her arm, asking her what had happened. Words failed the Jupiter Adept as she clutched onto his arm, sobbing into the cloth of his sleeve. He was pulled down onto the cushioned seat, both of them sitting now. After a moment, she moved from his arm to his chest, leaving tear stains on his tunic. Still immensely worried, he began to gently stroke Sheba's back, adding any comfort he could.

"What…what's wrong? Are you alright? What's happened?" he began, holding her close. His initial response was muffled sobbing. It seemed that she was extremely upset by something unknown – he thought this as she began to hiccup with her chocked sobs.

"Is it…is it really you…? Fe…lix…is this you…"

Felix's eyebrow's came together in quick thought. _'Huh? 'Is it you?' Of course it's me…okay, so she just woke up after calling out to me…that must mean that she had a dream about me…'_ He looked down at her, placing his second hand on her trembling shoulders. _'Rather, a nightmare…that concerned me… Did something happen to me?'_

"Sheba, I want you to hear me," he began in a whisper, earning a reaction – Sheba had heard his lowered voice, and, dream or not, she resisted the sobs and chokes in order to hear it. "Listen to me. I don't know what you saw, but you were shown false. I am right here, next to you. Speak to me…let me know what's happened…please…"

The muffled sobs soon died down, leaving only an occasional hiccup. Sheba didn't look up from her place on his torso, although she did pull away from it slightly.

"I…I saw…many things…so many things and nearly all of them were…they were not good… Felix, you…you were in them, and every one was a bad situation…Venus Lighthouse, the Suhalla…even the night at…" Sheba choked up before she could relay the Vault Inn scene. Felix had a feeling as to what she was about to say, and told her not to worry about it.

After a drawn-out breath to help calm her, Sheba continued. "I felt so…alone, so…unwanted. It was horrible…the worst I've felt in months…I tried reaching out to you, but you weren't…_there_! I passed right…through you…like a ghost…" Sheba trailed off, unable to continue. She continued to shudder at the fear the images left her.

Several minutes passed with Felix holding his friend in a comforting embrace, gently running his hand across her shoulders. Sheba's robe moved with his hand, gently scratching the shoulders, adding to the comfort. Felix finally broke the silence.

"I don't know why you saw what you saw, Sheba, but I can let you know that I _am_ here. I'll always be here," he added without thinking. After a series of confused blinks, he went on. "And that means that you shouldn't trust what you saw. I'm right here…"

Muffled hiccups still sounded from his chest, allowing any ideas to fail the Earth Adept. Then, something clicked – an inspiration. He put it into words for his friend.

"It is better to look ahead and prepare…than to look back and regret," he began. Sheba's movement stopped, and she looked up, surprised. She received a grin from Felix as she recalled the words. Those words were said by her on their first night of travel in Indra. It was her motivation, her maxim. She couldn't remember who had created the quote; nonetheless, she had lived her life according to those words ever since she first heard them in Lalivero.

Felix continued. "Remember, Sheba? You've always said that to Jenna, to Piers…to me. Now tell it to yourself. Look at the images you just dreamt about – all were from days gone by! Why look back and suffer over them?" He paused for a moment as she began to weep once more – only this time, a smile formed behind the falls of tears. "You shouldn't worry about what's already happened, Sheba. Do not look into the past and despair…prepare for the future! Heh, you're good at seeing that, anyway," he ended with a chuckle.

Sheba's smile widened as she lowered her head. Once more, she buried her face into Felix shirt. After a brief moment, a muffled sound emanated from the folds of cloth and leather. Unintelligible, yes…but both friends knew it to be the Jupiter Adept's "thank you." Felix nodded slowly, knowing he had done something right.

"Sheba, I know you're still upset, so do you want me to stay here?" he asked. Actually, in order to make sense, he asked _for_ Sheba. He felt her head move in a nod, and he hugged her briefly, settling into a more comfortable sitting position.

Sleep took both of them now. Before complete slumber claimed Sheba again, a hopeful side of her couldn't help but think one last thought. _''Prepare for the future...' Hmm…I hope you're in it, Felix…'_

She instinctively smirked at the thought, her whole body finally relaxing into sleep.

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It wasn't long before something happened – a chain of events was to begin here; a chain that would permanently change the lives of both the "Heroes of Weyard."

First, Felix woke up to a shudder in the ship. He blinked several times, assessing the situation. He remembered how he had loosed both anchors of the ship, so they shouldn't be moving. With this fact in mind, he realized that something had to be wrong if the vessel was rocking. His fear was confirmed as another tremble, much larger than the previous one, managed to shake him from the cushions he had been resting on. Sheba woke up in time to hear his grunt of shock as he thumped to the floor.

Second, before either of them could question the scenario, a loud creak sounded throughout the ship, beginning on the port side. The noise deafened everything for a moment, enough to make Felix stop from getting to his feet. He knelt mid-rise, not able to understand what was happening for once. Words failed both Adepts…until the massive tremor shook them loose.

The largest tremble the ship had seen shook it from stem to stern, causing it to sink with a dip in the water, and rise with the surge of a manifested current. This motion forced both Adepts to rise into the air, strike against the hard ceiling, and crash against the harder floor. Before such a motion could occur again, Felix called out to Sheba. They gripped hands quickly, the two of them rushing out to see the scene. Again, words failed them as what appeared to be a rogue chain came crashing through the very door Felix had been about to access. This chain _destroyed_ the door, its' frame, and several square feet of floorboards as it came down, soon jumping out again as the ship lurched sideways. Felix and Sheba shielded their eyes from the flying splinters.

The Venus Adept was the first to recover, and he saw a scene from hell. The chain that had been flying about was actually the chain that had once held one of the two anchors of the ship. Clearly, the massive weight had snapped off, and Felix saw what it had snapped off in. Mere inches from the vessel, a deadly maelstrom had been manifested from shifted currents, caused by various stones that the Lemurian ship had knocked off prior. A strong side-current was pulling the ship closer and closer to the vortex, causing the chain to blast out from the water. Because the ship it was hooked to acted as a pivot point, the heavy links would come crashing down upon the ship with deathly force, obliterating anything in its path to dust and splinters.

Third, Felix managed to see the cause of the loud creaking of moments ago. He had leapt out of the ship's interior and over the gaping hole, rushing out to assess the entire scene. He saw the second chain on the port side of the ship – the side farthest from the maelstrom – as well as the pressure on the hooks and loops as the second and last anchor was pulled by the current. He witnessed that the wood and rails were _bending_ under the pressure, causing the creaking earlier. It was only a matter of seconds and misfortune until the second anchor would become disconnected – or worse still, _stay_ connected, and cause a tear in the side of the ship if the current managed to pull out the entire chain.

Of course, Murphy's Law is unavoidable. If the worse thing can happen, it will happen.

Another creaking sounded above the roar of swirling water, and the rails of the Lemurian vessel broke away at the point where the four loops that fed the anchor chain were connected. A loud _snap_ rang through the mist-filled air as more broken wood flew onto the ship and into the Sea, where they quickly vanished beneath the churning water. Felix thought he heard his name as the snap died away, and he turned in curiosity. That turn saved his life.

As he shifted his body to face the other side, he first spotted Sheba, calling out for him and pointing at a spot in the air. Felix looked to where she was pointing, and caught a blur among the mists. He quickly realized that it was the starboard anchor chain, about to come back with more force than before, right where he was standing. He didn't even have time to gasp as he reacted, jumping away as the heavy links of iron sliced through the air and wood where he had been not a second ago. Because of the amount of water that the storm was sending into the air, Felix slipped on the collective moisture on the deck, landing on his back with a grunt. When he stood up, however, he was not so fortunate.

The anchor's chain had quickly returned, having landed in the currents at an odd angle. It was shot from the water, whipping around in midair – and catching Felix in his midriff as he stood up. The chain landed with crushing force. Felix's shout of pain rang out from his lungs with whatever air was left, and that shout was mingled with the sound of something breaking inside his toned body. The force of the iron links carried Felix with it as it flew through the air, soon dropping him on the deck like an overused rag doll. The unfortunate Earth warrior tumbled as he hit the wooden floor, eventually stopping on his bleeding stomach after sliding along the slick surface. He didn't move.

Sheba was, for lack of better words, shocked. She had witnessed the entire ordeal from her spot of the partially destroyed ship lobby, sticking her head out to the timeless air. Sheer disbelief shone in her violet eyes as her stunned mind processed the scene that had just occurred. "This can't be," she told herself, finally jumping out from the ship's lobby area into the dangerous outside. She hit the ground running, her body acting of its' own accord – she didn't want to know whether or not he was dead, but her legs carried her to him.

She arrived at his pitiful form, unable to utter an intelligent word as she saw the blood, _his_ blood, create a small trickle along the deck. With trembling hands, she turned her friend onto his back, incapable of even crying when she saw his face. It was frozen, the features stuck in distortion of shock and excruciation. Her eyes wandered to his midriff, and she gasped as she saw his wound. The hundreds of iron links from the chain had, it seemed, torn Felix across his stomach, leaving strands of cloth, leather, and skin hanging from his front. Blood was being pumped out as his heart slowly killed him. Sheba began to panic; there was nothing she could do. Her bag of healing items was still inside the ship, and she had no restorative Psynergy to call her own. What's more, her Djinn couldn't respond when she was flustered so.

Rage began to build within the Jupiter Adept, and she hastily turned and stood when she heard a clinking behind her. The chain that had caused everything had come back, and was headed straight for her. As it sped toward the young girl, she began to manifest all the timeless winds within the fog, gathering them into her hand. She thrust out her left arm, firing all her wind energy as one gale, having more than the effect she wished for. Not only was the chain blown away from her, but several dozen links were destroyed, drastically shortening the length.

What's more was the indirect effect the Psynergy had on Felix's own. Since a Jupiter spell was used in such a close proximity to the fallen Adept, his own knowledge of Venus gathered in him, ready to defend and counter the opposing element it sensed nearby. Because of this gathering of his Venus knowledge, the first, most direly needed Psynergy was accessed first.

A golden glow caught Sheba's eye, and she turned to face it, curiosity melting her anger. She watched, stunned, as she saw a spell work on its' own – the spell she recognized as Revive. Felix stirred, and a second spell, known as the most Potent Cure, targeted his midriff. Golden spheres traveled up and down his body, moving with the supernatural blue pulses of Felix's Alchemy. His blood replicated itself to replace what was lost; torn muscles and shattered bones were re-grown and hardened; his heart managed to slow down to an upbeat, but easy, pace. As the last of the golden sparks vanished behind his eyes, the once dying Venus Adept rose to his feet – shaky, yes, and confused. But alive. Very much so.

Sheba didn't have time to marvel at this act of the Gods. She would have continuously shifted her gaze from her friend to the blood that still ran on the deck if the ship hadn't lurched once more. Both Heroes of Weyard reacted, catching themselves before they fell. A loud crash was heard on the starboard side as the rogue chain demolished a railing of the Lemurian vessel. Once again, it was shot up at an angle, and it came crashing down upon the spot where Felix and Sheba stood. The floor fell beneath them, and Felix was the first to respond. His right arm locked at an angle, creating an effective hook, to which he managed to "hook" onto a pine support beam that was sticking out. Meanwhile, his left arm stuck out, rigid, enough to grasp Sheba's wrist tightly. He felt her hand wrap around his wrist, showing her effort to stay with him.

Felix was overexerting himself. The fact that his spells had saved him while he was unconscious was tiring enough – clue in a disturbed sleep, a killer chain, and a ship destroying itself, and no one would be fresh. Already the pine support beam was cracking under the weight of the two friends, and said chain was returning for a third strike. In a matter of seconds, the beam snapped, the Adepts dropped into the maelstrom, and the iron links tore through more wood.

Felix and Sheba broke the surface of the churning water, gripping each other because their lives depended on it. The roar of the vortex they were trapped in drowned out much of the sounds of the self-destructing ship. The two Adept's swirled around the outside edge of the whirlpool twice before Felix acted once more. He saw, on his first two revolutions, a stone spire with many holes on its sides. On his third turn, his hand shot out and gripped at it, his fingers finally wrapping around a decent-sized hole. The force of the swirling water carried him slightly further, however, and his whole body was caught at an odd position. He was forced into the water-smoothed spire, and his arm was pulled taut by the force of the churning currents. Luckily, he had managed to avoid a dislocation. Unluckily, the Lemurian ship decided it was time to break away from the two spire clusters that were holding it in place.

The massive ship came speeding toward them, leaving Felix no choice but to relinquish their only chance of escape. He released his hold on the stone, pushing off with his legs as he did so, creating more distance between himself and the deadly vessel. Just in time, as it turned out. The ship was on a crash-course with the very spire Felix had been gripping before - when the ship came around, not even pebbles were left. The Lemurian ship spun while it rotated with the maelstrom, allowing it to disconnect from the currents. It spun away from the edge of the vortex, grounding itself on a moderately high cluster of stone spires, where it couldn't move again.

Felix and Sheba, however, were not so fortunate. Felix's push from the stone had lessened the distance between them and the center of the deadly maelstrom, effectively shutting out all hopes of escape. They spun faster as they reached the center of compromised water. Sheba shouted something to her friend, but it was lost beneath the roar of churning water. Soon, two exceptional Adepts of Venus and Jupiter disappeared beneath the surface of the spinning water.

They did not surface.

**End Chapter 9**

Author's notes: …Hmm…I wonder if this could lead anywhere…

I tried re-using some different techniques throughout this segment. Obviously, the dramatic effect of near-complete absence of dialogue in the second half, as well as the main attempts at detail. I started to get writer's block after ending the dream scene, so I hope this turned out alright. I am glad, however, that this turned out as long as it did. Nearly 5000 words, this time around. Nearly.

Next chapter: Will there be one? Is there any hope remaining for them? What changes to their lives could possibly help them now?


	10. The Sea of Time Sanctum

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping story directed, composed, and produced by Leoshi!

!Disclaimer! Felix is chasing me down with a Firebrand blade…I took his Sol Blade from under his nose…don't tell him I'm here…but do tell Camelot that I do **not** own Golden Sun!

Welcome back to the Truth, in the final four chapters of the story. Man, I'm getting excited now! I hope you are, too. Anyway, in the last section of the tale, something terrible happened. Not only did Sheba have disturbing dreams, but she lost her ship…to itself.

In this next installment, a discovery is made. Several ones, at that. Many, good; many more, helpful. Let us proceed.

**Chapter 10:** The Sea of Time Sanctum

"_I would like to begin today with a small lesson of Alchemy," Kraden said, readjusting his travel bag on his shoulders. He received a groan from Jenna – expected, of course. "Come now, Jenna, my dear. What's a little knowledge to go with the road, eh?"_

_Soon, Jenna decided to go along with the on-the-road teachings, voicing her opinion as they began toward the Shaman Village's caverns. "Okay," she said with a sigh. "But don't expect me to get too many things right."_

_Felix and Kraden chuckled almost simultaneously. Jenna wasn't the best of morning people to come across. She preferred the day over anything else, when beasts and brothers couldn't sneak up on her. "Excellent," the scholar began, taking out a small pad and his favorite fountain pen, a recent invention he himself came up with before his exploration in the Sol Sanctum many months prior. "Let's see," he mumbled, adjusting his lenses to the glare of the morning sun peaking over the mountain's edges. "Ah, here we go. Urm…Piers, let's begin with you, shall we?"_

_The Lemurian smiled to himself – he was a prodigy when it came to knowledge of Alchemy._

"_Without the four elements of Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind, nothing would exist. Correct?"_

_Piers nodded. "Good," Kraden continued. "My first question is, then…if equal strengths of all four elements were combined into one, tightly confined area, what would happen?"_

_Piers slowed down as he considered this inquiry. For once, Kraden had surprised him. He hadn't been expecting a question like this. "Hmm…give me a moment…you said equal strengths? Yes…confined space…"_

"_Would anything happen at all?" Felix cut in genuinely interested. He caught the looks of everyone in his party as they wondered what he was leading to. "If I'm thinking this over correctly," he continued, "then nothing would result. Equal strengths of Mars and Mercury would defeat each other, as well as Venus and Jupiter. Therefore, nothing is spawned from nothing."_

_Silence reigned for a moment, soon broken by Kraden's chuckling. It soon grew into raucous laughter. "Very good, my boy!" he exclaimed, wiping a tear from his cheek. "Well said…and so accurate, too!"_

_Sheba was surprised with the other Adepts of Mars and Mercury. In all the times Kraden had questioned them about the elements, Felix had never responded, much less responded correctly. "Is it true, then?" she asked the scientist as she pulled out her staff to help support her up the hike to the Shaman Village caverns. "Would nothing exist after nothing?"_

"_Theoretically, yes, child," Kraden responded, flipping a page in his pad of paper. "To add on, here's an image to help out. Without wind, how could plants be? The wind carries the spores and seeds of various earthy plants, spreading them, thereby helping the land to flourish and grow. Without wind, that couldn't be – the vegetation would consume all the nutrients in the soil it's in, and soon would have nothing left. It would die, shrivel away._

"_Inversely, how can we know of wind without the plants and trees to show it? The air currents brush up against, past, and through the foliage and blades of the earth, thereby proving its existence to us. Without those plants, how could we possibly know about such a thing?"_

_It made sense, in a way. The two elements destroy each other, but can also not be without one another. Wind cannot be proven without earth, and earth cannot survive without wind._

"Why…why am I thinking about this…? Wind…earth…survival…"

Felix could tell few things from where he was. One was that the air around him tasted stale, another was that it felt both cold in one part of him, and warm in the next. A third thing was that he had his eyes closed, a sheet of black covering his sight. He opened his eyes, and was mildly surprised to see pure white all around him – no plants, no water, no wind, no fire, nothing. There was no sure temperature to tell what part of Weyard he was in, and no Sol above to help him determine the time. In fact, there wasn't even terrain or a sky. He sat up, shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts. He did remember the maelstrom, yes, and his falling into it with Sheba…Sheba…

"Sheba…!"

Somehow, Felix had gotten separated from his friend. He looked around frantically, his mind immediately conjuring several scenarios, each one drastic and unnecessary. One thought was that he was dreaming – which was quickly dismissed on account of the stale air being present – and another was that, Venus forbid, he had died and was stuck in limbo. He shrugged this off, too, because his body was sore from the iron chain that had nearly killed him before. Pain made you know you were alive…he remembered that saying.

Felix stood with a grunt, looking all around him. He could see only one thing – white. There was nothing to go by, nothing to note. With a curious sigh, he decided to look himself over…and was shocked to find that he couldn't see below his chest. His whole lower body, stomach, and even his arms at the elbows; all of it was gone. This wasn't normal, even for an Adept. Out of instinct, he tried to feel his arms with the hands that weren't there. He was shocked, further, to discover that he _could_, in fact, feel his arms. His brow furrowed with caution and curiosity as he tried to lift his arm. His hand materialized out of thin air.

If Felix could have been any more shocked, he might have become comatose. Regardless, he kept his sanity in check – as much of it as he thought he could, given the situation – and inspected his hands further. He found out that, at a certain distance, the digits vanished from his sight. He continued to bring his hand toward his face, and pull it away seconds later. After concentrating further, he determined that the white nothingness around him was, indeed, _something_. It was fog. A fog thicker than any the world has seen, and by far more dangerous.

'_Fog…but then…does this mean I'm still in the Sea? I remember going under because of the vortex, so how…I'm alive, yes, and awake. How can this be? I've never…even _heard_ of a place like this! Not even in legend and myth, so where could I be?'_

Felix's head began to hurt. This was all too much, too fast. He had to find a way out or, if not that, at least find out where he was. Maybe if he got his bearings straight, he could navigate his way through this impregnable fog. If he did that, then he should be able to find out where he was, and where to go to leave.

…_earth cannot survive without wind._

"Why does that phrase keep repeating?" he asked aloud, running a hidden hand through his hair. "Yes, I remember that lesson-"

He stopped himself, realization hitting him like the tidal wave of so many months ago. The phrase was a metaphor. And it meant that he couldn't go anywhere without Sheba.

Felix cursed himself for being so rash. In his haste to determine a way to navigate, he had completely abandoned Sheba from his thoughts. _'Damn it all, Felix! Come on! You've kept her safe for so long, only to…no, no, don't even THINK that she didn't survive the maelstrom! You were with her, and whenever she's been with you, you've kept her safe! Okay, okay…so first, I need to find her…Venus help me…where should I begin…?'_

Felix took a deep breath to calm his nerves and relax his mind. He had learned a long time ago that being tense helped nobody, especially the one you need to protect. With a sigh, he attempted something he hadn't done in years – navigation through the earth.

As he was an Adept of the Earth element, theoretically he would be able to sense shifts and terrain in the land around him. Depending on his strength of Alchemy, he should have a varying range of how far he would sense the earth. He thought the event had occurred to him once before, after leaping off the Venus Lighthouse in a wild attempt to save Sheba. After the two had surfaced in the coast of the Eastern Sea, Felix had felt an irregularity nearby, which he discovered to be the floating island of Idejima. Had it not been for the Venus Lighthouse being lit, he might have been swimming for hours on end, trying to find land. Indeed, he had sensed the presence of earth on the surface of the water, and that had probably saved his life. And his future.

With this in mind, Felix decided to attempt it purposefully. He closed his eyes, mentally gripped his knowledge of Venus Psynergy, and plunged his hand into the ground he believed to be there. Now, when he plunged his hand into the ground, he did just that – _plunged_ his hand _into_ the ground, surprising him still. Normally, hard earth wouldn't allow a hand to enter it. His hand didn't feel cold or wet at the touch, so he knew it couldn't have been mud. His concentration was broken by more curiosity, and he gripped at whatever his hand was now dipped in. When he knew he had a decent handful, he brought his hand close to his face, in order to see what he was now crouching on.

"What the…hell?!?"

It was water. Water, of all things, changed to a consistency that could support weight and allow pointed entry. Never before had Felix heard of this phenomenon – to him, water was for drinking, bathing, and keeping various fire-based abominations at bay. Not for standing upon; the only things that should be able to "stand" on water were ships and holy beings of immeasurable power. Not normal people and Adepts.

Felix was shaking his head in disbelief. "Maybe I have died…this doesn't make any sense at all...Maybe I've just lost it. If I've gone crazy…if I'm hallucinating, then Great Venus above, strike me down now!"

Sadly, he meant that. He wasn't struck down. After a moment of recuperating, he stood up, gathered his faltering wits, and began walking.

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Sheba was panicked, to say the least. She had long since awoken to the white void around her, and managed to deduct the same few things Felix had. However, she hadn't maintained her calm, and was now rushing through a perpetual white fog on gelatinous water. In her haste, she had her staff out, but was only using it to whip at the pearl-white fog in a vain attempt to clear her field of vision. She rushed through the mist, gasping both in exasperation and in an attempt to calm her, though a part of her wouldn't allow it. She knew that allowing a moment to allow calmness to dominate could greatly help her, but she wouldn't receive that moment – her mind was too bent toward finding Felix and a way out of here. Nothing else mattered at the time.

Several minutes passed before the young Jupiter Adept allowed a moment to catch her breath. She bent over, grabbed her knees, and gasped in the stale air around her. Her throat felt as though it were on fire. She felt weak, alone – helpless. Despair dwelled at the edge of her sanity; not quite close enough to feel it, but in a near-enough position as to feel uneasy at the presence. At this thought, several memories instantly rushed Sheba's panicked mind: Trapped in Tolbi by the late Babi, captured in the desert by merciless Proxean warriors, a loss of grip at the top of Venus Lighthouse, lost in a vast sea with fast currents, the despair on Jenna's face after the slaying of the Wise One's miracle, sleepless nights in Vault's inn, regret laced into Felix's eyes, certain dreams that could not be ignored, loss of power at Jupiter Lighthouse, loss of power here…

Sheba screamed. It was too much. She jumped up and began swinging at the stale air before her, grunting and crying as the images lingered in her mind's eye. On one last swing, she could have – _should_ have – noticed a difference as to how it ended. She had struck something…however, her knees failed her at that moment, and she fell to the "ground", whimpering. Only one thing, she knew, could possibly help her – one person. And she had no idea where he was.

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Felix had heard a scream. It was long, loud, and laced with anguish. And he knew who it belonged to. When realization hit him, his instinct took hold – he spun on his heel, regained his balance, and sprinted toward the source, all in a matter of seconds. Again, on instinct, his breathing settled into a steady rhythm. However, it was quickly changed into a grunt of surprise as he was struck by something - a crystalline object, by what he saw. What he did see, however, was familiar to him. He stopped where he was, and bent down in order to see what was underneath the fog. Sheba's shuddering form materialized before his eyes.

The young Venus Adept gasped. By chance – or fate, it didn't matter to him – he had found her. However, he didn't do what he normally would have done in such a situation, which was to embrace her and ask if everything was alright. Just by her crying form, he could tell it was exactly the opposite. Instead, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder without saying a word.

Sheba's head snapped up at the contact. With her veiled vision, she could see two things. One was a hand on her shoulder, and the other was Felix's face, completely strewn with worry. Her sobbing ceased after one last hiccup, and she took a moment to wonder if this was another phantom image lingering in her mind.

He spoke, and the thought was dashed away.

"Come back to me, Sheba…please…"

Felix, among all the other things he could have said at such a time, chose to say this. This was because he knew that she was in panic; he knew that, unless he did something quickly, she would do drastic things. He had heard of battle-stressed lords in the past days of Alchemy, when they eventually succumbed to panic and couldn't comprehend any situation, or how dire said situation was. Dozens of troops were slaughtered by enemy armies because of poor decisions and pure faith in them.

Sheba's head was reeling. _'What is…can I trust this…I can't…what if it's…what if he's really here? What can I do…? I have no idea what to do! What if he's not here at all…he spoke to me…the images never spoke to me…never…so he must be…'_

"Fe…Felix…?"

"Yes, Sheba," he responded, nodding slightly. "I'm here…I'm always here for you. Come back to me… Come back, Sheba, please…"

She was still not convinced – her mind wouldn't allow it. "H-how can I know…if it's re-really…you?"

Felix's brow furrowed. She was worse than he thought. This was bad. "Sheba? Hmm…listen…what is one thing that only you and I know about? One happy memory that only the two of us share? Tell me." The teenage Jupiter Adept lowered her head, but it was quickly pulled back up by Felix's hand. "Don't look away," he pleaded. "Look at me and tell me…"

In the back of her mind, Sheba's brain supplied a memory of many months ago. It was on the first night of their travels, the first night of free reign, away from Saturos' commands and Menardi's threats. The night they had stayed at the Inn at Daila, in northern Indra. Felix was thinking over the aspects of being leader of the group. He had decided to take an evening stroll along the outskirts of the quaint little town, musing over past ventures and future misadventures that were bound to occur. As he was returning, he had run into Sheba, who had awoken earlier that Jenna and Kraden by chance alone. The two friends spoke for the remainder of the early morning, speaking of promises and destinies. It was here that Felix swore guardianship over the young girl, promising her safety would be jeopardized only after he had no strength left to keep her safe. As a seal to the agreement, Felix had given her his family medallion, since it was near useless to him at the time. It was the symbol of their pact, their friendship.

After a series of whimpers, Sheba reached into the folds of her robes, rummaging through them for a small crimson disk. The pendant was etched with a language long forgotten, a phrase used in the Golden Age. Above the words, there was a small, simple image, but the meaning meant worlds to the two Adepts. The carving had two slightly curved stiletto knives, crossing each other in an X shape. Placed over the knives, however, was a rectangular shield, with clear battle scars strewn about its' face.

"Only…only the two of us…can know what this phrase means…" she whispered, gently rubbing her thumb across the sentence. "Tell…tell me what it is…"

Felix moved his hands to her shoulders, gripping them firmly. He stared into her eyes, wanting her to believe him.

"Humility before honor," he said.

It was all Sheba needed. From her position of sitting on her knees, she leaned into what she now knew to be the real Felix. They embraced, and she felt a rushing feeling of truth run through her as she held onto her friend. She stifled her final few sobs into his chest, the phantom images of her despair finally dissipating from her mind's eye. With the knowledge that Felix was before her, Sheba uttered one statement, one that was among the highest priority at the time.

"This place…scares me…Felix. Let's get out…"

She couldn't see it, but Felix grinned. He stood, helping her to her feet, and held his grip on her shoulder. "Good idea, Sheba," he said, looking out at the brilliant white nothing before them. "Our best chance of anything is to head straight, and to stay together. I have no idea where we are or how we got to be here…I have nothing to go on other than abnormalities. Water for ground…white fog…no landscape…"

The situation was grim, of course. The two Adepts knew that all too well. Sheba, still nervous from her encounter of ghostly despair, clutched Felix's hand tightly. When he didn't object, she drew closer to him, not wanting to be alone in this white hell. They began walking.

It was some time later that something else happened – an unfortunate event for the two Adepts. It hit Felix first, in the arm: a dart, from what he could tell. He grunted at the needle pierced through his flesh and drugged him with an odd mixture of liquids he had never heard of before. Seconds after he pulled the weapon out of his arm, he began to feel nauseated. His knees failed him, and Sheba's voice, crying out for him, seemed miles and mountains away. The last thing he heard was her gasp as she, too, was struck with the odd weapon. His vision blurred as two figures stepped into it, obscured by the concoction he was internally fighting. Finally, when his mind could handle no more, he gave in to the overwhelming drug. Sheba's hand still gripped his, and with the last of his consciousness, he gripped hers.

His mind went black.

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"Where could…come from…ship? Maybe he…"

"Ridiculous…believe that this one…"

"…another with him, right?"

Felix's eyes snapped open to the familiar white nothing before him. Obviously, there were several people around him – men, judging by their voices. He couldn't see them, thanks to the nightmarish fog about him. However, he did notice that something was different than before. The men's voices were echoing around them, showing that he was in a room with these people.

"Hmm? Ah, he's awake…get some of the Vision Particles on him, Jacob."

Felix began to wonder what these "Vision Particles" could be when someone's face came into his eyesight. He was surprised on two counts: one, this man was a Lemurian; two, this Lemurian had shot a handful of dust into Felix's eyes, dust similar to the kind the thief of Yallam had used. However, before his instincts shut his eyes, he noticed that this dust, unlike the other, was a lustrous brown.

The Earth Adept blinked away the stinging in his eyes, turning away from the one called Jacob. He covered his eyes with his hand, wary in case another puff of the dust came at him. After a series of grunts as the stinging subsided, Felix willed his eyes to stay open and his hand to move away, so he could see his captors – and he was surprised.

He could finally see everything. The white void had seemingly left him. He could see the blue-white walls surrounding him, a simple curtain that made a door, a lack of windows, and four men, all Lemurian.

"Can you stand?" the one called Jacob asked, offering his hand to Felix. Reluctantly, Felix took it. He stood and began working out the stiffness from his joints. Apparently, he had been knocked out for quite some time. "I must say, we weren't expecting someone like you to come here. You are an Adept, yes?"

Felix nodded, massaging warmth into his sword hand, in case he needed to use it.

"We thought so," another one asked, stepping forward. "Only an Adept could have hoped to survive the maelstrom way into this Sanctum."

"Sean, I'd imagine this one has only the slightest idea of what you speak of," Jacob put in, noticing Felix's confused expression.

Sean nodded, understanding. "Of course. Allow us to explain, then, whe-"

"Have you forgotten already, Sean?" a third cut in. He placed a hand on Sean's shoulder, a stern look in his eyes. "Lord Poseidon wished to speak with him as soon as he was capable of movement."

Felix couldn't hold back his gasp at the utterance of the name. "Po…Poseidon? I-I thought…didn't…"

"Heheh, no, no, my good man," the third added, noting Felix's faltering speech, which was most likely stunned at the name. "Not the Guardian of the Seas, Poseidon. My Lord Poseidon is merely what we here call our leader. Rightfully so, as he is the one who was able to maintain the…shall we say…_flood_ of Lemurians who came here. He is another of us – the first Lemurian who was exiled at that cursed Senator's whim. He is the one who wishes to speak with you."

"Where's Sheba?" Felix asked. And despite the near-wealth of information these men had given him, all remained silent at her name.

Felix was lead out by the fourth man there, whom the others called Orian, down a series of corridors that had all of the same decoration as the room he had been in – or lack thereof. Felix noticed that, just like the first room, windows were nowhere to be found, and only a select few doorways had actual doors on them, rather than a curtain. Another thing that stood out was the fact that, despite the numerous amounts of doorways and entrances, the people in this "Sanctum" were few and far between. Felix let out a muttered "Odd…" below his breath as he was led to a special doorway. Thick red-colored wood covered the next area, and Orian managed to open it with an odd combination of Psynergy and mystic dancing on the spot.

The red door opened silently, and Orian stepped back, allowing Felix easy access to the next room. The Venus Adept stepped in quietly, hearing Orian will the door shut once more. As the muffled _click_ echoed about his head, Felix looked about at this new room. Unlike the other areas he had seen, this one was large, similar to a dining hall for a Great Abbey. The walls lacked the white strips of the other rooms, instead sporting a brilliant shine to the pearl-blue that seemed to spill from the walls in a torrent. Several tables littered the area, all large and all empty, save for one that had just over a dozen goblets.

"I'm pleased to see you're awake."

Felix's head snapped at the statement, immediately seeing the room's only other occupant. He gasped once more.

This man was Piers' uncle.

"You…you are…" Felix was shocked to the point where he couldn't form coherent statements. As if he knew the myriad of questions rushing in his mind, as well as the priority of them, this Poseidon continued.

"Surprised to find that I was the one who unintentionally sparked the revolution in Lemuria? Yes, Felix, I was the first one do be exiled after Piers left."

"Why would you… You mean you…actually _ran in_ to one of Conservato's meetings, just to say your disagreement with Piers' sentence?" Felix stammered. It was extremely difficult for him to believe this. When he and his party had met Piers' uncle, he seemed calm and withdrawn. He gave off the impression of never attempting to make a scene or disrupt political leaders. To learn that he had jumped in the middle of the Head Senator's verbal battle with Hydros was…surprising.

"Please understand…it was my nephew," came his response. "I understand it is surprising, but I am family before I am a citizen of a corrupt system. Now…what questions do you have for me? You must have at least…several."

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The Hero of Weyard had learned many things. This area he was in was known as the long-lost Sea of Time Sanctum, crafted and bewitched by the combined talents of three cultures – the Anemos for the fog, the Shaman for the ground, and the Lemurians for the maelstrom. When "Poseidon" had been banished by Conservato, he had been given his ship and told to leave. He remembered an old tale about the ancient soils of Lemuria, and set to explore the abandoned stairways and waters. He had discovered the purposeful entrance to the Sanctum, and since then, has led all those exiled by the Senate into this haven.

Also, Felix had learned about the white void in the outside areas of the Sanctum. It was a fog, as he had thought, what interested him, though, was the fact that Poseidon had discovered a way to concentrate it into bursts of dried dust, causing the victim's brain to think it was pitch-black, therefore adjusting the vision. Everything would go incredibly bright at a distance, which gave the appearance of the white nothing – which explained Sheba's condition at Yallam's hills. He was told that, after hours of experimenting, Poseidon had concocted a dust to counteract the effects of the fog, which he labeled Vision Particles. It tricked the mind into believing it was the brightest day in history, causing it to adjust the vision, darkening everything drastically.

An even more surprising fact was that, after a few days of exploring, the need for food was apparent. As the most experienced Mercury Adept in the corridors, Poseidon was asked to venture out and collect food for a colony. After a quick disguise and locations of nearby towns, he had set off. His ventures proved unsuccessful for a short time, until he came to Yallam. He had donned brown dye for his hair, and had hid most of the length under his cloak, because what he did shamed him. Desperate, he had bumped into Felix intentionally, swiftly taking his pouch of Psynergenic items. He walked into the item store, stuffed several meats and fruits under his arm, and rushed out. What he had hoped against was Felix discovering his missing satchel by that time, and lost several goods during his flight. Of course, when Felix was told this, he was skeptical at best. However, Poseidon's story rang true when he held up the Teleport Lapis and spoke his apologies.

"It makes sense, then…how you were able to use the Lapis to escape… You're a Mercury Adept. That's why neither Sheba nor I could tell you could use Psynergy…you aren't linked to Venus or Jupiter."

"Felix, my boy, I do hope you accept my humblest apologies. I was one failed town away from actually mugging traders across roads – even murder, if it came to it. In a sense…you saved lives just by being in Yallam on that day."

Felix thought of something. "Hmm…all that food couldn't have lasted long, even in a timeless place such as this. Were you able to find new sources of food? Or…are you still pilfering items from small towns?"

"Heheh…nothing to fear, Felix," he replied with a chuckle. "In the last few hours here, thousands of fish have returned to claim territory in the nearby waters. The seas have cooled considerably, ever since the elements were placed in harmony. Because of this, we have had an endless supply of meat, and we only need to trade with small towns for other items, rather than take them."

The Venus warrior sighed to himself, relieved that a good way had come to these Lemurians. Losing one's home was a painful thought – he was forced to live with it for over three years. He knew that these people could be at ease, having this hidden sanctuary to live in.

Poseidon's next question caught Felix completely off his guard. "Aren't you concerned for Sheba?" he asked, taking a sip from a goblet of what seemed to be wine.

Felix's eyes widened as countless thoughts swarmed him. _'Oh, gods…Felix, you imbecile! You completely forgot about her! Come on, man, what kind of guardian are you? She should be your prime concern, not the status of an old Lemurian!'_

"Hey, Felix," that old Lemurian began, seeing the distress his question had caused. "You needn't worry. She is fine – completely unharmed."

This did seem to calm Felix, however slightly.

"I just have some questions for you, regarding her."

This didn't. It had, in fact, raised Felix's suspicions. "Why?"

Piers' last family took on a serious tone. He stood up, walking around the table toward the Venus Adept. "It concerns you, too. Both of you, in fact. It's just some questions…"

'_What…could he want to ask _me_? Regarding us? What could he have that regards us?'_ Despite Felix's train of thought, he nodded, allowing the Lemurian to continue. The man smiled, motioning the teen warrior to sit with him.

"Sheba…doesn't look like she could have come from…anywhere _near_ your hometown, Felix. How did you two become friends?"

Felix shifted his weight, allowing the uncomfortable memory to replay. "She was…captured by the two people that had saved my life. Her home was many miles South of Vale – Lalivero."

"I have heard of it, yes."

The boy nodded, lost in his memory. "Saturos and Menardi needed her in order to proceed through the Jupiter Lighthouse, before it was ignited. They…scared her – threatened her, even, on top of the Venus Lighthouse Aerie. I came to her defense, and when Isaac and his party slew the two Proxean Adepts…after the Lighthouse was lit…"

Piers' uncle could see the effect the memory was having on the boy. "Er…you don't have to continue, if it's difficult." Relieved, Felix nodded. "Okay…how close are the two of you? Are you two simply friends, or…what?"

As this question was asked, the Lemurian had received a glare from the boy sitting across from him. "What does it matter?"

"Please, my boy. I've lived for over two centuries, and I've seen friendships crumble at their foundation, and seen many more build up from them. It's obvious that the two of you are close friends at least, and perhaps have formed a pact of some kind. I saw my own nephew in a foreign land, happily betrothed with someone he's never met before. You and Sheba have known each other for many months now, correct?"

Felix continued his glare, although he had softened it a bit. "Yes, we're close friends. And yes, we have a pact. I've sworn guardianship over her, and until I die, that is how it shall be."

"Ah," Poseidon began, noticing a connection. "'Until I die'? That's a very good foundation to have."

"What are you getting at, Poseidon?"

"Hmm…merely confirming what I had said seconds ago. Here's my main question, Felix. Do you love her?"

For once in his life, nothing came to Felix. Absolutely nothing – no witty response, no drastic action, no enraged attack, no calm dismissal. He sat there, stunned. Given, he had thought of a quick comeback to the Lemurian's inquiry, but his own thoughts stopped it. It allowed time to let the question sink in.

"This is important, my boy. Not just for you. Do you love her?"

'…_love…? How could I… I mean, I'm her sworn protector, her guardian. How could I possibly love… Do I…? What about all the times…I've spent with her? I admit, this journey to discover her heritage wasn't entirely…well, openly…about finding just that. Deep down, I know…I wanted to know, to find out, if I…really did…love… But, what about her?'_

Another part of his mind joined in. _'Right now, this isn't about her loving you. It's about you, to her. Think about everything that's happened to the two of you. Why do you think you longed to simply brush her hair away from her eyes? Why do you think you carried her back from the Jupiter Lighthouse – all the way to Contigo, no doubt – when you could have just Revived her there? Didn't you notice your behavior that day, outside Vault? You couldn't speak a sentence to save your life!'_

'_Yes, but…could that mean…wait, of course it…does… Of course…'_

Felix bowed his head, gripping his hair as he mulled over the question and the inner battle over the simple, the true, answer.

"…yes…"

"Pardon?" Poseidon asked innocently, having not heard the response clearly.

"Y-yes…I do," Felix repeated, loudly, his head still bowed. "I…love her."

Within the much older Lemurian, a feeling of contentment filled him, and he sat back to enjoy the rush of pride, knowing that he had accomplished a difficult job for Felix.

"I…I love Sheba," he said to himself, lost in the words. His head lifted, and he gazed at the man across from him, and didn't bother questioning his knowing smile or happy shine in his eye. In all likelihood, Felix owed the Lemurian a hefty debt – he knew that he could never have fully and truly realized this alone.

"Excuse me a second," Poseidon said, closing his eyes. He accessed a small portion of his Psynergy, sending a message to one of his companions, who was waiting nearby. At the back of the large room, a curtain slide away.

There stood Sheba. She looked tired, but had clearly been given a dose of the same Vision Particles that Jacob had used. She slowly stepped out of the small annex room she was waiting in, and the Lemurian who was with her pulled the curtain closed as she walked into the Great Hall.

Reality came back to Felix as he saw her, and he leaped out of his seat, running to his friend. As soon as he reached her, he began plying Sheba with his famous questions of her condition, to which either a "Fine" or "It's alright" was the whispered response.

"Felix," Poseidon called, facing the young Venus warrior. "I believe you could use something of yours."

Felix turned to face him, and his eyes caught a shimmering in the air as an object flew towards him. He reacted, catching it, and quickly investigated it. He was pleasantly surprised to find the Teleport Lapis resting in his grip, shining with a luster that seemed to welcome him back.

"Some of my companions here," the Lemurian explained, "told me of your ship. I'm sorry about what happened to it, but you should know that we are making repairs to it already. It's early days yet, but soon, I'll be able to take it out to see Piers at Yallam. He can take it back there. I don't want to hinder your progress about the world, so please…accept your Lapis once more."

Felix smiled, not noticing Sheba's diverted gaze. "Thank you," he said, receiving a nod from the leader of the Sanctum.

"If you head out the door you came in, Felix, there is a room. Turn right as you leave this Hall, and make for the second door on the left. It will have a wooden door, and it will lead to all of your equipment. You will find everything you need there. With that, I must take my leave of you."

Again, Felix thanked Poseidon. As the man walked toward a white door at the back of the room, he paused at gazed at Felix.

"My boy…you should know that, in many matters…the foundation is the strongest point of interest."

Poseidon turned the door's knob, and fell out of the two Adept's field of vision.

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"I'm glad to see that he was telling the truth. Everything is here. I didn't even know they confiscated this!"

Felix rummaged through his belongings, locating everything he knew to be missing, making the discovery that _anything_ the Lemurians had deemed threatening had been taken. He wondered aloud how his Douse Drop could have done any harm whatsoever, but the matter was quickly forgotten.

"Felix…can I say something?" Sheba began, returning her staff to the top of a crate in front of her. She heard the shifting of several items as Felix gently placed down one of his satchels, soon followed by the shuffling of his feet as he turned to face her. However, she didn't turn around, or even look up. She merely sighed, closing her eyes. She wouldn't wait any longer.

"In…in case you didn't know…the drapes they use here are…well, they are ridiculously thin, almost like a sheet of sand. Heh, I wondered how they were able to prevent someone seeing through them. But…see, I was in that little room the entire time you were speaking with the leader. I…well…Felix…"

"Yes?"

Sheba allowed her head to lift up, and she breathed in deeply, gathering her courage. "You did notice how…easily noise echoed inside that Great Hall, didn't you? Anything that sounded would sound again, it seemed, didn't it?"

Felix nodded, recalling the _click_ of the red door as Orian had closed it behind him. The sound had ended only after Piers' uncle had first spoken to him.

"Yeah. See, Felix…because of that, I was able to hear…everything…that the leader said…and everything that you said…and I…" She trailed off, finally turning to face her friend. She locked her gaze with his, not daring to tear away.

"Did you mean it?" she asked simply, nervously swallowing at her dry throat.

Felix stalled, trying to think of a decent response for his friend. Rather, an excuse would be a more appropriate term, as he wasn't at all prepared to tell Sheba yet. Then, Poseidon's departing words drifted into his mind. _"The foundation the strongest point of interest."_ This statement lead to Felix's recollection of the Lemurian's small speech, how relationships can build at the foundation. It seemed…the older man knew more that he let on.

"You know what I'm talking about, Felix, don't try to hide it. Just answer me. Did you mean it?" she asked again, agitated.

Felix, nervous, lowered his head as he considered his options. He had always been honest, so there was really only one answer. He opened his eyes, breathed to calm his faltering nerves, and nodded slowly, twice. He shifted his eyes to gaze at his Jupiter Adept friend, to find her with an unbelieving look etched into her features. Sheba blinked several times, and turned her head.

"I…" Felix began, looking up. "I know you probably can't understand why or how…but it is true…it's true, Sheba-"

Sheba made the biggest interruption of her life. In the middle of Felix's statement, she looked up at him, jumped forward, and pushed back his words with a fierce kiss.

Felix was taken aback, but only for a moment. Getting lost in the moment, he began to grasp her arms. He leaned into the kiss, using one hand to wrap around her back and the other to stroke the nape of her neck. As he returned the feeling, he began to softly stroke Sheba's golden hair, marveling at the feeling of how soft it was against his touch. Sheba sighed in her throat, enjoying the attention he was giving her.

After what seemed like several minutes – or it could have been days – to Felix, it may as well have been several lifetimes – they broke apart, still holding onto to each other tightly. Felix wanted to lose himself in her green eyes, as he had done before. Earlier, they shone – now, they radiated with such ferocity, Felix felt that the two of them could take on armies of the world and emerge unscathed.

No words were needed. The two friends spent the next several minutes in their firm embrace, rocking from one side to the other. Some time later, Felix realized they had to go, as their Vision Particle effects were beginning to wane. They quickly gathered their gear, smiling to themselves and to each other through the whole ordeal.

Once both Heroes of Weyard had recovered the last of their belongings, the field of white nothing had almost completely returned. Tightening his pouch's lines one last time, Felix held out a single item. The Lapis. He held it out to Sheba as though in an offering. The Jupiter Adept gently placed her hand on top of his, covering the stone. Once again, they embraced, and after another quick kiss, the two concentrated. Large blue pulses enveloped them, and their bodies began to disappear. Neither of them had to discuss where to go – they were as close as they could ever be. Their minds were one. Felix and Sheba knew where the answers lay.

At the Foundation.

**End chapter 10**

Author's notes: Well, well, well…it's about time, hmm? I love this chapter – it took me forever and a day to write it, since I'm still fighting writer's block right now. I am _so-so-so_ happy it turned out so good. Heh, forget the Yallam chapter when I said it was the longest - this one beats it up _and_ takes its lunch money. Over 7200 words in this chapter. I am...well, words can't describe how pleased I am. Oh, and I hope I answered many questions in this chapter. If anyone's still mildly to severely insane- er, I mean confused…yeah…just let me know, and I'll fill you in. Oh, by the way…the name, Orian, isn't pronounced like the Belt constellation in the stars. Or-ee-an, _not_ Orion. Big difference, sorta.

Next chapter: You've wondered why chapter five is titled "The _First_ Visit," right? Well, that will come full-circle next time.


	11. Contigo, the Second Visit

**The Truth is Painful**

Unearthed and exploited by the black market! But…written by Leoshi!

!Disclaimer! Camelot owns Golden Sun. Not me. .em toN .nuS nedloG snwo tolemaC !remialcsiD!

Welcome one, welcome all, welcome back to the story of Felix and Sheba! I present to you this: the continuation of the tale, after the two friends, now lovers ((finally)), teleported away from the long-lost Sea of Time Sanctum. Thanks to the wisdom of a certain Lemurian, their true path is revealed, and they know where to go.

In this segment, they arrive at the place they need to be. Contigo. Some realizations are made, and the two Adepts become the first two in centuries to enter a certain Sanctum we all dread.

**Chapter 11**: Contigo, the Second Visit

Two people materialized in the night air of the Atteka continent. One, a boy of nearly nineteen years, an obvious master of swords and tactics. The other, a fifteen year old girl, a queen of winds and storms. As the last of their bodies solidified and rested on the plain's grasses, Felix and Sheba opened their eyes to the cloudless night. The wind welcomed them back once more, and the pleasant cool feeling that came with it relaxed their nerves. They didn't move for a moment, embracing each other, enjoying the situation.

The older of the two breathed in deeply, finally pulling back from their embrace, and turning toward the entrance of the historical town – Contigo. The two Adepts wordlessly gripped each other's hand, and silently, as though not to disturb the tranquility of the night, made for the town. After a minute's walk, Felix rapped on the door of the town's inn. It opened after a moment of scuffling within.

"Good evening. Would you happen to have a couple of rooms available for tonight?"

The innkeeper looked at the two travelers with prying eyes. This was a good man, and made an honest living – but he couldn't help himself from searching their belt lines for a certain coin pouch he thought the two Adepts could have. He spotted it, and quickly made for a kind-hearted man.

"Absolutely, young sir. You said…two? Yes, I've got enough room to accommodate you two. Come in, please."

The Adepts were led inside the cozy inn, which had recently begun nightly fires on one side – in a fireplace, of course – to prepare for the cooler months that were soon to come. It was an odd sound to hear for Sheba, who had grown up near a desert for her young life, the constant crackle of the wood as pockets of air and water were ruptured and consumed. The lobby itself was cast in a warm, welcoming glow from the flame, and several lanterns and candles spread the light to every corner of the room.

"Separate rooms, yes?" the man asked.

Felix found some humor in the reactions of both him and the girl next to him – both had squeezed each other's hand in objection to the notion of separate bedrooms. Despite this, Felix affirmed the question, and the innkeeper held out two keys.

"Here you go, numbers seventeen and nineteen, right next to each other," he said, handing one key to each of the two friends before him.

Felix was slightly confused. "Hmm…you haven't told me the charge, yet…" he told the man, loosely holding his key with the tag that read "nineteen."

"Yes, I know. There isn't a charge for you two," he began, earning perplexed looks from both travelers. "Haven't been here recently, have you? There's a holiday this week, one that's called Lunarium in this town. Heard of it? No? Well…it's a rare and special day for us here. The Moon, on one day every few _years_, stays right above Contigo – all day. We can see it, even in the sunlight. Since it's such a rare occurrence, not many tourists know about it, so I don't see the point in charging extra, if at all."

Sheba was impressed. "The Moon? It stays above Contigo, all day?" she asked, wanting to confirm it. The man nodded. The girl smiled at Felix, obviously a request to stay in town for that day. The Venus Adept whispered a "We'll see" to her, gently squeezing her hand.

"Well…thank you, sir-"

"You really should get to rest, you know. You…heh, look like you went through Hell and back."

Felix was slightly surprised at the comment, running a hand through his long hair in self-conscience. _'Hm, it _does_ feel like it needs to be cleaned out,'_ he thought, grinning. "I'll get to it, then," he told the man, making for a small staircase that led down to the rooms. As Felix reached the stairway, he had managed to pick out a splinter from Sheba's lost ship. He chuckled, showing it to Sheba.

As the two teenagers disappeared from his view, he shook his head to himself, and smiled lightly. He turned and walked to a small table nearby, retrieving the glass he had left when the two had knocked. He sat down in his personal chair behind the counter, sipped at his cold drink, and chuckled thrice. He looked to two empty hooks where two keys and tags had rested earlier, which read seventeen and nineteen. Again, he chuckled, thinking why he had to come up with a horrid name like Lunarium. No such holiday existed.

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Sheba awoke several hours later, enjoying the obligatory feeling of contentment that comes with the waking seconds every morning. However, she didn't immediately rise and prepare for a day of journeying, as she had done in her venturing days with Felix, Jenna, Piers, and Kraden. Rather, she remained in bed, curling like a cat within the warm folds of the thick blankets. Sheba compared the warmth to that of Felix's embrace. She laughed into her pillow. Felix won.

With a happy sigh, she finally willed her limbs to move, and she rose out of her bed. It had been a fulfilling sleep. Maybe it was the amount of time she had spent before actually falling asleep the previous night, reflecting on her travels with her beloved. She found it humorous, realizing all the awkward times she had had with the Venus Adept, the fewer, cuter times with him, and the rare and treasured times when he had laughed.

Sheba closed her door behind her, walking the three paces down the hall to room nineteen. She gently tapped on the side of the door with one knuckle, using her other free hand to turn the knob and discreetly press against the wood. The door creaked open, and the Jupiter Adept peered in. With the sunlight pouring through the high window, Sheba could make out a lack of weaponry, a made bed, and a kind tip of several coins lying on a small table. No Felix, to her surprise.

With a perplexed look, Sheba drew her head from the door's opening, pulling it shut. A clinking, muffled by distance and a floor above her, sounded from the stairway leading into the inn lobby. Curiosity took hold, and Sheba made her way to the steps. She ascended quietly, still in her cloth socks, and found Felix already having breakfast – nearly finished, at that – and speaking with the innkeeper they had met the night prior. Next to the Earth warrior, a small table had been pulled up, and on it sat a plate filled with hot food.

"Well, nice to see that I can eat."

Felix ceased his chat with the innkeeper, tilting his head back to look at Sheba. From his position, she seemed upside-down. He grinned, soon switching it into a forced frown so it could_ look_ like a grin for his betrothed.

"You're a lucky one, all right," he responded.

Sheba did her best to hold in her giggling.

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More surprise fell on Sheba when she found herself looking at a stone circle crafted into the ground, very intricate and very large. She could see characters written in and about the stone grooves, but the language meant nothing to her. Scowling slightly, she looked up at Felix, who was examining the circle on the other side, a thoughtful frown playing on his lips.

"Felix?" she began, earning his attention. "Sorry, I missed something. What are we doing, and why are we doing it here?"

Confusion flashed behind Felix's eyes before he realized that he hadn't yet told her about the topics he had discussed with the Innkeeper. He chuckled at his ignorance, reprimanding himself mentally in the process.

"The gentleman inside there," he began, standing, "told me all the theories he had heard from the scholars about this recess. Based on what he heard, the scholars had deciphered enough of the old text here to discern the words 'Lapis-stone' and 'combined evils.'" He brushed off his sleeve and walked to the center of the large circle, motioning Sheba to do the same. "If I'm thinking this over correctly, then the Lapis-stone is…well, obviously, the Lapis we have. As to the evils bit…I believe it has something to do with the Elements, since there are so many ancient things that believe Alchemy to be an evil."

Sheba nodded as she stood by her friend. He continued as he wrestled the Teleport Lapis from his satchel. "I don't know how it ties in, but I'm willing to act on trying the stone. How about you?"

The younger Adept nodded again, squinting as sunlight was redirected from the Lapis and shone into her eyes with a bright, enhanced radiance. Felix lowered the stone, apologized, and after a moment of allowing Sheba to blink away the patch of white in her retinas, he began to channel his Psynergy through the stone. Sheba gripped his free hand, closing her eyes and adding her power, as well.

Felix poured all his power into the Lapis, placing everything he had on where it would take him. The stone glowed brightly, shafts of light shining through any opening in Felix's hand. Below the Adept's feet, the grooves and cracks in the stone circle began to flicker with an eerie, inexplicable light. Tiny white spheres of the stone's light detached themselves, and each individual one clung onto a small segment of Felix or Sheba's skin and clothing, armor and weapons. They stuck, changed color to blue, red, black, or silver, and all began revolving at once. They encircled the two friends for a moment, soon scattering in all directions, and all soon redirected to the northeast. Each sphere carried a specific piece of an Adept with it, and when it arrived wherever it would arrive, the teenagers would have successfully Teleported.

Before Sheba was whisked away, however, and uncomfortable – and unsettlingly familiar – feeling of foreboding washed over her. She began to cry out, but two spheres of energy relieved her of her throat and voice before she could. She quickly settled with shutting her eyes against the combined shines of the Lapis, the spheres, the sunlight, and her own Psynergenic pulses.

When she opened them again, a worried moan escaped her lips and echoed about dark, stone walls. She stood on an exact replica of the stone circle of seconds ago, except that there was no sunlight or cooling breeze. The nagging sense of danger still clung to her like wet leaves in winter, and she tried her best to mentally shake it off as Felix looked about the large room.

"What…is this…" he murmured.

They had arrived in a room much larger than any lobby of any inn they had seen, all of it made out of red and black stone. Where they stood, there were four paths in any direction. The two friends saw that two of them led to another one each, branching off to what appeared to be altars and smaller stone circles. There was a wall panel before them, which looked like it served as a door, except that it lacked knobs and hinges. What it had were four arcing indentations above it, which looked like they served as torches. All of this greatly befuddled Felix.

A curios scowl ran across his forehead, and he began walking toward the left of the side paths, soon turning upward. He knelt down and examined the small stone circle placed there, wondering aloud what the tree symbol could mean here. As Sheba arrived at his side, he ran his hands along the various branches of the tree carved into the ground.

A crack sounded below Felix's hand, and immediately vines shot out of the stone, vicing his hand where it was, holding it flat against the symbol. His shout of surprise was quickly replaced by his grunts with his failing efforts to remove his hand from the vines. On his fifth pull, the stone began to glow a golden brown, as did Felix. Something spiked in his mind, and he felt his inner strength diminish quickly. A phantom image of a Venus Djinni materialized before his kneeling form. Felix felt nauseated.

Miles and continents away, so did Isaac.

Felix and Sheba were shocked. From that image, nine golden brown spheres of light emerged. Seconds later, nine more shot through walls at blinding speed. All joined above the center of the Djinni's head, danced for a second, then curved around into eighteen holes that had emerged as the vines had. Each sphere landed perfectly with each hole, soon glowing brightly and consistently. Felix felt his strength return just as quickly as it had left, and the vines retracted into the stone. As the green plants disappeared under their feet, no cracks were left in the stone symbol. It was as though nothing had happened.

Felix stood in a hurry, stepping back. Both he and Sheba examined his hand, not finding any indication that it was bound. They looked at each other, then to the glowing symbol at their feet.

A flickering caught Felix's eye, and he turned to look at the wall panel. One of the indentations above was glowing brightly, and it looked like several cracks had appeared across the panel itself. It took only seconds for the Venus Adept to come to a conclusion.

"Are there other symbols like this one?" he asked Sheba without turning. She looked at him in bewilderment, soon turning to gaze at the stone circle behind them. Even with it seemingly upside-down, she could make out the likeness of a furious fire within the ring. She confirmed Felix question, stepping toward the second stone symbol.

Felix followed closely, moving to Sheba's side as she halted at the circle's edge. The boy looked from the first symbol to this next one, thinking through all that made sense. His eyes widened considerably as realization came to him.

"Of course…"

"What is it?" the Jupiter Adept next to him asked, eyeing the stone fire with suspicion.

"Remember how the innkeeper had told me about the 'combined evils' part of the text there?" he began, pointing to the larger, intricate symbol they had arrived at. "I was right when I speculated it being related to the elements…that tree resembled Venus, and a ghost-like Venus Djinni came out…plus, that glow above the panel is earth-colored. The eighteen spheres that came here…must be the Djinn that Isaac and I have befriended over our ventures. It must be…we need to have all the Djinn of Weyard to progress further."

Sheba blinked, absorbing all the speculation Felix had just told her. She believed him, and turned her attention back to the fiery grooves before her. Tentatively, she reached out to the symbol and ran her fingers up and down the peaks and valleys of the flames. Nothing happened.

"Did you do anything different, Felix?" she asked, placing her weight onto the symbol, earning no reaction of any kind.

"…no…I was barely touching the tree…"

Sheba thought for a moment, staring fiercely at the fires under her palm. _'What could I do to activate this? Fire…Mars…Jenna isn't here, so what can we…wait!'_

"Felix, you have to touch this one, also," she blurted, snapping her head to look up at him. He gave her a questioning look, and she elaborated further. "Remember back on the Venus Lighthouse, before Saturos and Menardi fused together to battle Isaac? They had said that Mars and Venus complement each other. Remember, also, that the light of Venus had restored their energy? It must be you to activate this symbol – Jupiter is nothing to Mars."

The Venus Adept nodded after a moment, kneeling down next to Sheba. With a brief hesitation, Felix reached out and placed his hand against the stone blaze. Two seconds passed before the fires seemed to move, changing color as they seemed to come alive under Felix's palm. A small plume of fire shot out of the center of the circle, arcing for his hand quickly. The fire enveloped his hand, but there was no searing pain. In fact, it felt cooler than the air around them.

Miles and continents away, Jenna dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach as her senses were overloaded. In the house of Vault's mayor, Garet awoke from his studies in a sick trance, falling out from his seat painfully.

As before, a large ghost-like Mars Djinni appeared before their eyes, After a second, spheres came through the stone walls, three at a time, it seemed. They merged above the Djinni's head, soon spiraling down and through the image. Once they reached the bottom of its feet, each orb speed toward one of eighteen holes nearby, that had – as before – emerged as the image had.

The Djinni vanished, the plume of fire died away, and behind the two Adepts, a red line of heat began to seep through the cracks in the panel as the second indentation was lit. Felix stood, rubbing his hand to return the warmth that seemed stolen away.

"Good idea," he said, grinning lightly at Sheba. She nodded modestly, following him as he made his way across the room, to the second set of stone circles. "I'd guess this means that only you can get these two started, then. Mercury and Jupiter remain, and I can do nothing with Mercury."

The young Jupiter Adept nodded once more, turning to the symbol that depicted a torrential wave. She knelt down, cautiously placing her fingers on the stone water. Seconds passed before ice crystals formed around Sheba's hand, soon floating toward it. Within heartbeats, a block on ice held her palm down against the symbol, and the wave began to glow blue.

Miles and continents away, Mia faltered with healing an injured squirrel, sending a mass of snow spiraling through the treetops of Imil's surrounding forests. Even more miles and continents away, Piers shouted in sudden pain, brought to his knees as his strength left him. Siara and Poseidon immediately rushed to his aid.

The Mercury Djinni formed in a crash of ghostly water, turning its head as though it were considering something. Eighteen orbs of blue light spiraled through the walls, crashing into one larger mass in the air. The sphere convulsed like a ball of water, its' surface rippling from top to bottom and back again. The ball disintegrated into a set of eighteen drops, each one turning to fill its' own hole near the wave symbol.

The creature of Mercury vanished like snow on the breeze, and the block of ice melted away, leaving Sheba's hand intact and the wave symbol glowing blue. She gazed at the wall panel, noticing the third hole had a blue or above it. Also, there seemed to be water flowing down the front of the panel, with parts of it freezing to the cracks caused by the first symbol of Venus.

"How do you feel?" Felix asked, touching Sheba's shoulder.

"I'm alright, thanks. Jupiter remains, right?" She didn't wait for an answer, instead simply standing and turning, making her way to the final stone circle. She gazed at the image of gales of wind, soon dropping to her knees and placing both her palms against the stone.

Felix, having faith in his loved one, chose to walk back to the center of the room, wanting to get a closer look at the panel as the final indentation was lit. The glowing of the symbol shone in the corner of his eye, and he turned to gaze as Sheba allowed herself to be drained. The expected image of the Jupiter Djinni appeared, and nine spheres emerged from Sheba's body, soon joining with the other nine that came through the stone. The eighteen orbs of purple light formed a speedy single line, circling above the heads of Sheba and the Djinni. They made several revolutions before breaking at the front end, each one filling the holes in the floor.

However, this last one was different. Worse.

Miles and continents away, Ivan froze in place. His bones were locked, and his mind went blank. His head dropped low, and his eyes closed as he drew his staff, mobility restored. His body moved if its' own accord, and he began summoning a strong wind above Vale's reconstruction site – strong enough to cause several roofers to lose balance. Shouts were thrown at him, begging him to stop, but the only sense that dominated him now was the sense of danger, and a will to cause it.

Sheba was even worse than that. She began screaming at the symbol as the Jupiter Djinni vanished, thrashing about as the electric stands that bound her hands didn't. She struggled against their vice-like grip, and a funnel of swirling air formed around her, kicking up the dust of ages. Felix tried to aid her, jumping over a gap in the paths – however, the funnel blocked his hand from reaching her. He shouted her name, vainly trying to punch through the spinning air.

Without warning, everything stopped for a second – the air, the screaming, the shouting. Sheba's hands were released from their electric bonds, but the first thing she moved was her head. She opened her eyes, entranced, lifting her hands. Sparks and volts connected between her palms and the stone under them, and soon the air around her rushed to be confined within her cupped hands. She willed, against her own, plasma energy into the swirling sphere of air, soon giving the Psynergenic orb a menacing look of a small, confined storm. This is exactly what it was.

Felix rushed forward, but a twitch of Sheba's eyebrow sent another burst of air at him, blowing his feet out from under him, bringing him to the stone ground. He looked up in time to see her throw her arms forward, shooting the small storm toward the wall panel. It connected with the stone, creating a blinding flash, which only Felix shielded his eyes against. Several blasts were heard, and the air around the two Adepts heated slightly. Soon, the blasting ceased, and Felix opened his eyes to gaze first at the Jupiter Adept standing above him, then back to the wall panel.

The panel, the indentations, and several feet surrounding the area, had all been evaporated. A hallway was revealed, and Felix could make out the base of an odd statue.

The Venus Adept rose to his feet, paused for a moment, and then finally reached Sheba's side. He gently lifted her head, gazing into her eyes. After a moment of severe concentration, he thought he saw the fire of her Psynergy, which was blazing fiercely unlike any other time in Sheba's life. He called out to her, but only echoes responded. For a moment, Felix thought she was lost.

Again without warning, Sheba stiffened for a brief moment. Suddenly, her body went limp, and she fell into Felix's arms. He shook her gently, calling her name once and again, until her eyes opened with an obvious effort. The Earth warrior half-laughed with relief when she said his name, and he hugged her tightly, explaining his worry at the possibility of having lost her. Sheba, scared, held on to his hand as she stood, warily looking around the room, pausing to gaze at the now-destroyed wall panel.

The sense of foreboding had increased considerably. Sheba hid it from Felix, hoping to gain as much progress in here as she could.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In an attempt to lighten the mood after the Jupiter symbol incident, Felix had said three times how he had hoped his dungeon-exploring days were behind him. They two had explored through several stone tunnels, each one winding and bleak. Sheba remained almost completely silent through their walking, but Felix was becoming more and more interested in the oddities of this area.

After a while of turning and trekking, Felix stepped through a doorway that led into a room with several stones and holes littering the floor. As soon as he was clear of the entryway, a flash occurred. To his right, an odd rocky contraption glowed and shot several white tendrils of energy, striking Felix in his arm. He felt a tingling as each line accessed some part of him, and soon the strings shot out of his left side, now colored a shining silver. He followed the tendrils' path with his eyes, watching them float over a line of stones that spit the room into two halves. They stopped at one point, curling and twisting around each other, gaining speed every second. Soon, not a single line could be followed. They continued to spin as they descended to the ground, and they all vanished as they reached the stone underneath Felix's boots. Behind the tendrils stood a darkened figure – an exact mirror-replica of Felix.

"What the-"

Felix didn't finish his sentence, because the darkened one near him had said the exact same thing, at the exact same time, in exact unison. Their echoes died away, and Felix tried to walk to the stone wall, attempting to examine this devilry closer. The replica matched his movements, closing the distance between the two young men. Felix stopped, allowing himself to think through what this room had. He looked all around the corners and walls, soon spotting a small switch on the replica's side of the room.

"You see the switch?" Sheba asked, eyeing the replica with suspicion. "I think…we need to get…_that_ you to stand on it. It behaves like a mirror, so you'll need to guide it around the stones and holes there."

Felix nodded, as did the mysterious image across from him. He eyed the room halves carefully, planning each step. He made progress with the replica, despite the oddities of the floor. Unfortunately, he made a mistake. He realized in time that he was leading the replica in between two holes, and he reacted, stepping back. However, there was a stone under his heel that he didn't know about. Balance was lost, and he fell onto the hard stones with a dull _thump_.

The mirror of him fell into a hole, vanishing from sight. Sheba gasped, stepping in to help Felix up. However, she stopped when a loud click sounded from the hole that the image had fallen in to. Following that click was a rumble, and the room changed.

All the stones were retracted into each of the holes, leaving the floor even and level. A shaking began, and the door the Adepts had entered through began to shrink to the floor. Sheba thought they were in a trap before she realized that this room had changed into a lift. They were beginning to rise – and gaining speed, based on the feeling of her stomach.

They were going at a ridiculously fast speed now, and Sheba was forced to crawl her way over to Felix. The air grew cold – thin, as well. The Jupiter Adept gripped his hand as they were shot upward, further and further, until they finally slowed to a halt. The room had ended with a new set of walls, filled with high windows, all with iron bars covering them, as though they were cages. Felix, slightly disoriented, sat up and looked around.

"I…wasn't expecting that…"

"You think?" Sheba snapped, her eyes darting from one window to the next. Felix turned his head and gazed at her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Sheba lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.

Felix's worry increased with Sheba's shuddering. "…I'm sorry…" she began. "I'm just…tense…this a new place that we've discovered, with so many things nobody's ever seen, and now we're trapped in this stone place…it's…much."

Venus and Jupiter met with a kiss, and Felix held her in a comforting embrace. "I understand, Sheba. Don't worry about it."

They remained in their half-sitting embrace for a moment, trying to find comfort in each other's presence. Sheba shuddered slightly in a mix of embarrassment and anxiety. She took several breaths to calm her nerves, tightly gripping Felix's hand. He spoke once more.

"You go ahead and gather yourself – I'll take a moment to investigate this room, okay?" He felt her hesitant nod through his armor, and he stood, gripping her hand once more before releasing it. He proceeded to the nearest corner, running his fingers along the grooves and curves. He jumped and wrapped his fingers around the edges of the high windows, pulling his eyes over the openings in order to see into the darkness contained. Nothing stirred.

'_Why can't I…be stronger than this…'_ Sheba thought, gazing at her lover as he took control of the situation. She lowered her eyes. _'No matter where I am…I seem to be in no control of anything, no position to do anything useful… Damn it all!'_ She clenched her hand into a tight fist, watching the blood rush away, leaving a pale skin over a veiled knuckle. _'All the time…every time…'_

'_No!'_ Another part of her mind had heard her mental berating, and had stepped in. _'You're not thinking straight.'_

'_Prove it to me, then!'_

'_You spoke of the times. You obviously mean the times with Felix and your friends. Have you forgotten already?'_

Sheba closed her eyes, both wishing for and against any memory – lately, any memory has been hard to look back on.

'_You helped them through to get the Lash Pebble, remember? The vines – you cleared them away. You were important. Also, Air's Rock? How could you have forgotten that? Without you, Felix, Jenna, and Kraden could have been blown off the rock face. And let's not leave out Reveal. Izumo, Air's Rock, Tundaria Tower, Champa, Jupiter Lighthouse, Mars Lighthouse, Garoh – you've used it every time it was needed, and every time…it was _needed_ for all.'_

Sheba glanced toward her beloved once more as he grunted, having come down from another sealed window. She saw him inspect a stone brick that was out of place, running his fingers along the textures. Finding nothing significant, he moved on, skipping the next window.

'_Besides, you're forgetting your own phrase. Remember? "It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret." Even Felix remembered that a couple of days ago. Why are you allowing anguish upon yourself for your adventurous past? It seems like it was good, despite everything bad that happened.'_

Sheba, to her inner horror, felt hot tears well up behind her eyes as a heavy truth was placed on her. It was meant to relax her, but she did not do so. She strained further, even, to force back her tears.

'_Hmm…in fact, it might be a good idea to see the immediate future now. Look on that wall…'_

The Jupiter Adept lifted her gaze to the wall Felix had just reached. In the center, six stones stood out from the rest. They jutted out at an angle, creating a circle. In fact, Sheba realized, it was the symbol for Reveal.

Despair put aside, Sheba tapped into her reserves of Psynergy. Her green eyes were veiled into a world of black and white, a world of truths. As she had thought, the wall melted away behind the symbol of stones, leading to a darkened passage. What was more, the metal bars for the windows disappeared, as well, leaving a wide opening. She grinned for a split second, until she saw what was coming – speeding, even – toward them from the passage.

She cut off her Psynergy, rushing to Felix's side. He was surprised, firstly, at how quickly she had pushed him away from the middle of the wall – secondly, how two giant lizard creatures came crashing through the panel, hissing and lashing their heavily armored tails and legs. These creatures were absolutely covered in blue scales, and both had a mace-like weapon attached on the ends of their tails. Felix and Sheba could see, after the dust had cleared from the now-demolished wall, madness in their eyes. They circled around, cornering the two friends. Without warning, one leapt forward, howling and whipping its lethal tail behind it.

Felix and Sheba pushed off each other, creating distance between themselves, the wall, and the mad lizard rushing them. The beast landed, pushed off his front legs, and jumped again at Felix. The Venus warrior whipped out his sword, jumping away as the lizard landed mere inches from him. He struck with his blade, but the monster's heavily scaled body deflected the weapon. The lizard didn't even notice.

The second beast had turned its attention to Sheba, who had lost her balance upon her landing, and fell on her back. She saw that she was about to be attacked, and willed a gust of wind to distract the blue lizard. It had the desired effect, giving her time to jump up and pull out her staff. She ran toward the beast, whacking it across the head with all of her might. The monster's head jerked to its side, and it slowly recovered, glaring at the Jupiter Adept with a murderous glint in its eyes. The beast bared its fangs, letting a chilling growl escape its throat. She saw, to her horror, a field of energy beginning to gather within the lizard's teeth. She had seconds to get out the way.

Felix was struggling to cope with the lizard's surprising strength and speed. Twice, already, he was forced to his knees by an unforeseen head-butt to his stomach – had it not been for Felix's Curative Psynergy, massive bruises would have begun to develop. The Venus Adept looked around him, having lost sight of his enemy. A sudden movement above him caused his gaze to look up, and he saw – further surprising – the lizard about to land on him with bone-crushing force. He pushed himself away from the ground, landing just in time to feel the ground give a mighty tremor as the beast landed. In fact, it seemed to Felix, it had seemed even stronger for a creature such as this.

Sheba jumped backwards, landing at Felix side. They cast each other a glance, then returned their gaze to the eyes of the enemy. Felix, curious about Sheba's well being, spared a moment to look at her attacker. His eyes widened as he saw the gathered energy within his teeth. Acting quickly, he shot out his hand, a light brown aura encircling it. He whispered a name.

As the lizard's powerful energy breath was released upon the two Adepts, a light-brown field materialized before Sheba's eyes. It shimmered slightly, completely covering her from the attack. As the beast's energy failed, the Jupiter Adept could make out a telltale Venus Djinni confined in the center of the brown aura. It looked at her, seemingly grinning, and disappeared from the visible spectrum in a shimmer of diamonds.

Safe from her own attacker, Sheba turned her head to look upon Felix's enemy. She brought her hand down her side swiftly, manifesting a powerful bolt of plasma from her palm. The lizard, which had begun rushing Felix's distracted side, was hit in its eyes. It let out a pained yowl, falling to the stone ground. The beast's momentum carried it along the floor until it rested among the wreckage of the former wall. Felix had turned to look upon his attacker, and – seizing the opportunity – willed a shaped segment of the wall to break away, forming a Stone Spire. He indicated to the writhing creature with his eyes, and the spire sped toward it, point first.

Another tremor rushed through the stone around the two friends, and a large hand emerged from the hole with alarming speed, taking the full force of the Earthen Spire. Dust and pebbles rained to the ground, and both Felix and Sheba gazed in horrific awe as two massive orc-like abominations stepped through the demolished wall. These new beasts had tiny wings jutting out from their backs, which seemed to serve no other purpose than to add speed. They snorted, their narrow eyes glaring at the two Adepts.

Sheba cried out in pain. The two new beast's appearance had distracted her, giving the other lizard-like creature a chance to strike. It rammed Sheba's side fiercely, carrying her through the air. Felix watched, horrified, as she landed roughly on her back. She moved, struggling to stand.

Felix reacted to a movement from the abominations. He leaped up, rushing to Sheba's side, willing a flow of Curative Psynergy to mend her bruised skin. As he reached her side, she gave out a small cry. She jerked her head to the orcish monstrosities, and Felix turned to see what they were doing.

Turning was all Felix had time to do. The first of the two abominations had somehow managed to summon a speeding attack, hitting Felix with the force of a meteorite. The force on the impact sent Felix flying through the thin air, right into the range of the second orc-like beast. This second one almost playfully knocked Felix to the stone floor in midair, forcing him to the ground. A crack appeared on one stone tile while two emerged in Felix's secondary arm.

The Venus Adept couldn't move for a moment. The air in his lungs had been forced out when he had struck the ground, and he was having trouble gaining more. He opened his eyes after several agonizing seconds to see what could only be bad. The first large creature, seizing the opportunity, walked over to Felix's form and slammed its foot onto his chest.

Words couldn't describe the type of pain Felix was in. He tried his best to maintain his awareness, but darkness tugged at the sides of his vision. The monster's foot slammed again, and Felix could barely hear his own ribs crack under the impact. Blood began to spurt out from his mouth, and he coughed, unable to breathe. He tried to concentrate on his Potent Cure ability, but only a small sphere of golden light emerged from his hand. It did what it could before Felix saw the foot rise again for a killing blow to his neck.

"ENOUGH."

A shout rang out, the source unseen. Immediately after hearing the call, all four of the hellish beasts ceased movement – the abomination's foot was mere inches from taking Felix's life. They stood still, as though stunned. Sheba, looking up from her waning pain, managed to see the caller. Her eyes widened in shock.

The person who had called out was a male, seemingly younger than her. He had the same color hair as she, the same color eyes as she, and – for what it was worth – appeared to be kinship with her. The way he looked at her, she was able to discern that he, too, was a Jupiter Adept – but with an understanding of it the likes she hadn't seen in any other Adept she had met before. Their eyes locked, and his widened after a moment's consideration. She made an attempt to stand.

The boy scowled, pointing a lone finger at her. Suddenly, the air around Sheba felt heavier, and she saw darkness creep into her vision. Her eyes attempted to stay open, but they were fighting a losing battle. She made one more movement, managing to see Felix be lifted – almost gingerly – by the same hell-forged beast that had almost killed him moments prior. She hit the ground, unaware of everything.

As the dust settled around her, the boy wondered how she could have possibly come back. _'This isn't good,'_ he thought, mentally ordering the second abomination to take her within the newly opened tunnels. _'He…will not be pleased.'_

**End Chapter 11**

Author's notes: Hmm…finally, we arrive at the climax of it all. Something is astir, something ominous and formidable. As the wish of two people is granted, the wishes of hundreds others are shattered. Here lies the Truth, however painful it may be.

Next chapter: …shall be the longest one of this entire story, with the highest attempt of detail I'll have ever tried. Nothing shall be left out, for here comes...the Truth.


	12. The Truth is Painful

**The Truth is Painful**

A Sandshipping tale presented by Leoshi, of the Flame Tribe.

!Disclaimer! Never have I owned, never shall I see, never can I get the ownership rights to Golden Sun. TRUE.

I welcome your return to my story. This time, however, it is special – this is the longest chapter that will be in the series, with many scenes, many details, and the fight for the lives of Felix and Sheba. It began recently, when they were attacked by hellish creatures – the likes of which hadn't been seen by the common-folk in centuries.

What could possibly happen in these next few days?

**Chapter 12:** The Truth is Painful

There was a pounding, much louder than someone crudely hammering in a bolt to a resistant beam of wood, and just as much harder, inside the boy's head. The young man couldn't fathom what could be built at this time of night - it had to be night, because his eyes were open, and he couldn't see a thing. He had to be sleeping outside, too, because the air around him felt as though it were frozen.

Felix's eyes adjusted, as did his mind. Reality came rushing back to him with the sudden memories of his last conscious moments. He remembered a room of stone, and creatures from the nether. Creatures like those hadn't been seen in many decades, and any rumors couldn't do them justice. Horribly powerful, they were - smart, as well, and tactful. Felix remembered being swarmed by a group of surprisingly swift lizard beasts and giant orcish abominations that lumbered over their heads. There was still a massive pain in his chest as Felix recalled how he had passed out - the abomination had stepped on him, crushing several ribs and one lung, at least. He remembered how he saw Sheba, fighting both with and against rage, soon stopping with the rest of the creatures as something happened outside his field of vision. His world had faded out then, his last breath leaving his failed lung in a wheeze.

A physical nightmare.

Felix grunted, recalling further. He realized that the giant had crushed his chest, and that he had began to cough up his own blood. However, he tasted no such fluid in his mouth, leading him to realize that his Psynergy had acted of its' own accord, Curing him in his unconscious state. He breathed in the cold air, making to feel his chest.

Felix gasped – he couldn't move his arms. He tried to lift his head, but it, too, was immobile. His eyes darted around where he could see after he found that his legs were locked in place, as well. Adjusting to the lack of light, the Venus Adept was soon able to discern large chain links, lashing him to a hard mattress. He struggled against their hold, only succeeding in causing a few telltale _clinks_ to sound around what he now saw to be a cell. He was being held prisoner.

He sighed in defeat after a second moment of fighting against the links. He tried to relax, thinking through what he could possibly do. His head rolled to one side, his eyes half open. In the cold darkness, the Adept was able to barely see an overturned bed on the other side of the cell. Near that, every blanket and hard pillow in the room had been piled out of Felix's reach, had he been able to reach for them at all. His eyes moved on, squinting through the dark, trying to see a second pile in one corner, next to the cell's bars. A torch placed mercifully near, outside the bars, shone on one end of this additional lump, revealing an odd patch of what seemed to be sand-colored hair.

Felix squinted further, soon able to see white cloth near the patch of gold. Realization struck him after a moment. Sheba was in the same cell as he, and although she hadn't been quite as injured as he had been, she seemed unresponsive.

The Venus warrior struggled against the chains once more, never taking his eyes off of his loved one. He grunted, constantly flexing his fingers nearer and nearer to the closest link he could find. He stopped momentarily when Sheba gave a mighty shudder, drawing herself closer inward. He recognized her style of lying down as the fetal position, and he knew it couldn't mean anything good. He struggled harder now, finally brushing his finger against the links that bound his stomach down. Something clicked in his mind.

Felix paused for a second, and then gave a small smirk. Whoever had made these chains had made them from the earth, from iron – their first mistake.

He tapped into his reserves of Psynergy, mutating the minerals in every link that bound his body. He grunted after a moment, mentally shifting and heating the myriad of iron and bits of steel that got in his way. Simultaneously, each link around the Venus Adept became a small pile of iron dust and sand. Felix was released.

The warrior spared a fleeting second to chuckle inwardly, immediately leaping from the bed afterward. He rushed to Sheba's side, kicking away the pile of thin blankets and scratchy pillows. He knelt at her side, placing a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Sheba…can you hear me…?" he whispered, gingerly shaking her.

Underneath his fingers, the young Venus Adept felt her muscles move. With obvious effort, Sheba turned on her back slightly, straining to see him. Felix found it odd how she stopped, her back strained at an odd, uncomfortable angle. Worried, he looked to her arms, following them down. Anger took hold when he made out similar chains holding her wrists and ankles, chaining her to the nearby wall. He half-growled at the binding links, pointing an accusing finger at them. A small blue spark shot out from his fingertip, making contact with the nearest link. It, along with all the chains it connected to, immediately disintegrated into dust. He willed a second azure sphere to strike the second line, thus allowing Sheba freedom of movement.

Felix pulled her into a warm hug, lying down next to her. Even in her apparent weakened state, she made an effort to draw into his embrace. Sheba clutched his cloth sleeves, shuddering.

"…it's…so cold…"

Felix hugged her tighter as he heard her whimpered comment. "Do you know what's happened?" he whispered into her hair, his eyes darting around the dark cell. He felt her head shake slightly, her answer of no. With her answer, Felix scowled further. He angled his head behind him, seeing the bars nearby. Cautiously, he reached out and grasped one, hoping they would be made from the same iron as the chains.

He swore. Pure steel – too synthetic.

"Where are we…where is this place…" Sheba muttered, shivering. "Why is it so cold…here…I don't understand…who are these people?"

Felix gave a slight gasp, releasing his hold on the cell bar. "People?" he asked quickly. "You've seen someone?"

The Jupiter Adept struggled to look into her lover's eyes. "Yeah…a boy. He looked like…he could have been my brother…for all I know. I couldn't say anything – he cast some kind of spell on me…it's still affecting me. How…how dark is this room?"

"Almost complete black. There's a torch nearby, outside these damned bars. That's the most light we're getting, and even then, it's not much. Can't you see it?"

"…barely. I don't know what spell this is," she went on, drawing herself closer to his chest, "but it's…making my whole world darker. I feel like I'll…never be warm again…never be happy again…"

Confusion created a mask over Felix's face as he thought over all the spells and elemental effects he had learned throughout his life. Venoms, potions, spells, plagues…nothing he thought of added up to what was just described to him. He sighed in anger, clenching his fist before returning it to Sheba's back. He gently kissed her hair.

"It's…so very cold…" she whispered again. A lone tear escaped her eyes, seeping its way through Felix's tunic.

Inside, Felix was tormented. "Stay with me…I'll keep you warm." He stated, embracing her firmly. Within agonizing minutes spent feeling Sheba's tremendous shivers and whimpers, both Adepts managed to find sleep.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was nightfall for Weyard. The men, women, and beasts of the world went about their nightly duties of sleeping, talking, and hunting – surviving. In the near-complete town of Vale, Jenna looked up at the Moon. Something inexplicable was nagging at her, telling her that her brother was in danger. Isaac, who had joined her, voiced his concerns at her actions – she had been outside, alone, for hours on end. After hearing her reasons, he provided words of comfort and encouragement – none of which did either. Masking her face with a smile, Jenna turned and walked into her recently furnished home. There she would stay for the remainder of the night, gazing at the battle scars she had earned alongside her brother. Despair was creeping in around her – she had lost him once already. If it happened again, then she would lose herself.

Outside Felix and Sheba's cell, a boy stood near the bars, glaring, fuming. He wanted to do so many things to these two – especially the one. However, he knew he couldn't inflict the pain himself…that job was to be left for his lord. He checked his rage, drawing a nearby metal rod. He quietly placed it at one side of the steel bars. He smirked, pulling it swiftly against each bar. The clangs were louder than thunder.

Felix's reactions allowed him to stand quickly, facing the source of the disruptive noise. He inwardly cursed as he reached for his sword, realizing that all of his equipment had been confiscated. He stood still as the boy reached and grasped the torch nearby. The Venus Adept gasped as the light revealed the boy's features.

For what it was worth, this boy could very well have been Sheba's twin brother.

Muffled clicks sounded around their heads as this young boy unlocked the cell door, entering in with a sneer on his face. He looked Felix up and down, considering him. Not a word was spoken by the two. Like two old enemies, they were.

"Norue! What's going on?" a voice sounded, further down the hallway outside of Felix's allowed travel. The boy raised his golden eyebrows, tilting his head slightly. He spoke.

"Plenty. The boy's standing – the _other one_ is still on the ground. The spell's working well, it seems."

"Did you say the boy's standing?" the voice called. Felix, looking outside his cell door, saw another blonde-haired boy come walking up. "How's that possible? I chained him down myself!"

Norue chuckled. "Well, Jase, I imagine that he…dissolved your precious chains."

Jase looked at Felix with disbelief, walking into the cell himself. He spared a glance at Sheba, sneering, before moving on to inspect his former chains. In the scarce light, he felt the dust that remained after Felix's successful release. Jase gasped, turning and glaring at the Venus Adept.

"You bastard," he spoke, taking a few steps closer to close the distance between the two. "Have you any idea how long it took me to link those chains?"

"Notice, fool," Felix replied, taking one step forward. The two men were mere centimeters away. "Notice how I'm not running outside in your hallways. Your bars are made of an unnatural metal – be unnatural, and you might have won."

"Call me a fool? You're in NO position-"

"JASE!" Norue shouted, not bothering to move. "You're turning into a fool, stooping down to this creature's level."

Felix shot a sadistic glance at Norue. "No comments from you, boy."

Norue made a sudden movement, and Felix jumped on him. Both were on the ground, rolling, punching, grunting, shouting, and cursing. Jase, still standing, carefully aimed his kicks at Felix's side. Seizing a chance, he bent down and recovered the torch, which had fallen from Norue's grasp as Felix leapt. He put out the flame, leaving only wooden embers. Smirking, he pointed the red-hot end to the fighting pair, timing his strike. He dove for Felix's exposed backside.

A seasoned instinct told Felix that he was in danger. Acting upon that instinct, he called forth the stone floors underneath him to shield him from whatever threat was present. A thick sheet of stone arced around Felix swiftly, creating a protective dome, shutting out light completely. He heard Jase scream, swearing in an old tongue. A mere second after Felix's dome appeared, it vanished. Two things clattered to the ground – one was the spent torch, now unusable with its' crushed top. The other was Jase's thumb, which had become severed when the rock sped around the Venus warrior's body. As Felix wasted a moment to gaze at the bloodied digit in his adjusting sight, Norue pushed him off with all the strength he could muster.

Felix landed unceremoniously, grunting as he landed. He quickly stood, but was forced to remain still as a knife, riddled with ages of poor use, came dangerously near his throat. Holding that knife was Norue, shaking with rage.

"If it weren't forbidden by my Lord, I would kill you both now," he muttered above Jase's cries of pain. Norue's tongue tasted something inside his mouth. Blood. This was a proud boy, with many commendations and much fame about his home. He refused to let himself be disgraced by letting his blood leave his body. Rather than spitting out bloodied saliva, the boy breathed in slightly, and swallowed the bitter fluid. The feeling of the warm liquid lining his throat fed his anger, but he still kept in under control.

His eye was beginning to swell where one of Felix's anger-fed punches had made contact. "Breaking down minerals…calling forth a stone shield…heh, you _are_ one. A real one. Finally."

The blonde-haired boy lowered his knife, and Felix relaxed slightly. Still tense, he eyed the knife-wielding boy with wary anger, watching him as he pulled something out of his tunic. Due to the loss of light, Felix couldn't see what it was. He took the first chance he got – when Norue looked down at what he had reached for, Felix jumped forward again, grabbing his wrists. Norue was forced to the nearby bars, and Felix pulled back his head to bash his.

Norue flicked one finger toward his attacker, and a massive surge of wind blasted through the gaps in the bars. Felix, not expecting this, was blown back several feet, forced to his knees. He stood, and raised his hand to catch something that Norue had thrown his way.

Whatever it was, it ghosted through Felix's hand. Maintaining a straight trajectory, it sped toward his midriff, forcing itself inside his armor and muscles. There, Felix stood, stunned. Nothing happened for a split second. Then, everything left him.

From his head, to his toes, and all within – mind, body, and soul – every bit of strength was drawn to where the unseen object had placed itself. Strands of a sandy brown ghosted before Felix's eyes, and he doubled over as all that was left was numbness. He tried in the few seconds he had to claw out the strange item, but could not get farther than his armor. After a moment of struggling, Felix finally felt what it was doing.

It was stripping him of his Psynergy, leaving him with nothing.

As the last of his fantastical energy was siphoned, Felix fell backwards, landing with a muffled _frump_. The item – now glowing, revealing it to be a sphere – hovered in midair. Norue beckoned to it, and it slowly flew to his outstretched hand. Gingerly, the boy held it, admiring the spires and avalanches depicted within the glass sphere.

"Venus Adept you are no more, human."

Felix didn't respond – he looked ahead, at the dark stone ceiling, breathing, only breathing. He felt empty, numb, incapable of lifting his head. The only strength that had remained was that to run his major bodily functions, allowing him his life. He couldn't even think of the kind of emptiness he felt. Not necessary, anyway – mere thoughts couldn't do it justice.

Sheba, who had managed to keep herself away from harm, crawled over to her lover. She pulled herself onto his chest, whispering his name desperately. Gaining no response, she started to gently shake his shoulders, fresh tears spilling over her cheeks. Still no reaction – Felix continued to stare, as though enthralled with the stone above him. The ceiling seemed to mock Sheba, having her loved one's attention more than she.

Behind her silently calling form, Norue had managed to use his ill-gotten Venus Psynergy. He had gathered Jase's cooling thumb, ordering him to be silent. Carefully in the light of the glowing sphere, he placed the bloodied end against Jase's bloodied stub, and soon after placed the golden orb against both. The sphere reacted, and white-golden strands of Potent Cure emanated from it. The threads surrounded the two ends, covering them in a radiant white glow. Several seconds passed before the white veil dissolved, revealing Jase's newly re-attached thumb. No scars were left.

Norue admired his handiwork. "Yes, indeed…Venus _is_ a powerful element, capable of all things. Pitiful human…" he continued, glaring at Felix's limp form. "What can you do without your knowledge of the years? What can you possibly hope for?"

The only reaction earned was Sheba tear-stained face, strewn with anguish. Norue lifted an eyebrow, soon turning away.

"The Vice-Lord wishes to see _you_ momentarily. You _will_ comply. Jase!"

Grunting as he stood, Jase walked over to Sheba, who backed away slightly. He quickly reached out, grasping Sheba's wrists, holding them firmly. She struggled as best she could, still weak from Norue's unnamed spell. She willed the last of her available strength as she was dragged out, placing it all into one last desperate call.

"FELIX!!!"

Felix, the former Venus Adept, stared ahead.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheba was dragged by her arms down dimly lit corridors. Twice already, Jase had led her through doors that passed through similar rooms of books and scrolls. Both times, the occupants had caught a glance of her, and considered her for the whole moment she was within their sights. Four people had went as far as to rush out to the doorway, making snide remarks to her as she was pulled, no longer struggling, down one hallway after another.

Several minutes passed before Jase slowed. He whispered something to Norue, who was enthralled with the golden orb he held. Annoyance flashed behind his eyes, something that Jase didn't see. Despite this, Norue nodded, responding with a "Let's just take her to him."

The young traveler had no interest in discovering who this new man was. However, the time when she had her own choices had long since expired. Jase and Norue continued for another two minutes, finally coming to a doorway.

Sheba felt Jupiter Psynergy being tapped – not her own, thankfully. She strained her head, past Jase's pant legs, dried spots of blood still on them from his recently dismembered thumb. She caught a glimpse of Norue's pulsating body, and she was silently fascinated by the sheer power he possessed. Far greater than anything she had uncovered. While her own talent showed with blue rings that would envelope her, Norue's entire body was _consumed_ with power. Some of his Psynergy even spilled over his arms and fingers, where the sparks and winds within sped off in random directions.

Looking ahead, she could barely see the edge of a doorway. She saw Norue's body glow a brilliant violet hue, and then flash in a torrent of flares, a manipulated wind kicking up his blonde hair dramatically. The doors opened, and Sheba noticed how her two captors immediately snapped rigid. Jase's grip tightened around her wrists, and she made a small cry of pain.

Jase threatened her with a growl. Sheba bit her lip, silencing her cry.

"My good Vice-Lord!" Norue began, taking several steps forward. Jase carefully followed, matching his comrade's step with precision. "We had brought you the prime prisoner, as you requested."

A deeper voice sounded outside of Sheba's vision. "Hm…Norue! Suffered a small loss, I see."

Norue lowered his head, hiding his swollen black eye. "It is, indeed, a small loss, milord. It will be made well again."

"Be sure that it does, by any means first available, to ensure that it is made…negligible at minimum. Now…good, it's her. Young Jase, let her see me…after all these long years…let her see me."

Sheba's breath caught in her throat as Jase struggled to twist her around. The tone in this new man's voice was ominous. He knew more than anyone else in this place, she could tell. Hesitating for several moments, she opened her eyes and looked up.

As she had surmised, she was now in the presence of an older man – aging well over forty. White-blonde hair fell over his neck, covering his lightly armored shoulders. His purple eyes narrowed as he considered her, his lips – chapped with recent thought – twitching into a distasteful grin. Robes made for high authority fell over him in a torrent, leaving only his fingertips and face uncovered.

' ' '_I know who you are, little witch.' ' '_

Sheba gasped, her eyes transfixed with his. He had invaded her thoughts, placing his own into her mind. She had heard of this in myths and legends…the second-ultimate in Jupiter Psynergy.

Telepathy.

'_Who are you?'_ she thought, knowing he could hear her across the wind-swept void that was Mind-Reading.

' ' '_You really aren't the one who should be asking questions, Sheba. It is us, here in the Higher Sanctum, who are curious about you – how you have come to be. Particularly, how you have come to be here.' ' '_

A vein pulsed near Sheba's temple. She was trying an ability than no Jupiter Adept she had ever heard of had known about. If she continued, she imagined that madness would consume her.

An echoing cackle of laughter sounded in her mind. _' ' 'Madness? Heheh…how interesting. We all hope for such a blessing to come to you, little witch.' ' '_

'_I can't keep-'_

Her head fell limp, her mind spent. The Telepathic link between the two Adepts was severed, and the older man frowned in disappointment. Sheba's mind had, as he had presumed, been unable to manage the ability that still lay dormant in her. It just gave him more reason to despise her.

"Too bad," he said, pointing to a corner in the room. Jase immediately dragged her over, laying her unconscious body sprawl over the stone. "That small moment of mentally speaking was…enjoyable."

Per their hard training as under this man's command, Jase and Norue nodded, bowing low. Norue swallowed the taste of his blood that still lingered on his lips. The Vice-Lord gazed at his lowered head, his eyebrow flicking twice as he gazed into his subject's mind. He smiled.

"Do you wish revenge, officer?"

Norue rose to his full height, while Jase remained in his bowing position. His comrade looked directly into his master's eyes, not daring waver from the truth. "Yes."

"How much so?" he plied, considering the boy further.

"Personally, sir?"

"Yes."

Norue spared a fleeting moment. His swollen eye twitched with the thoughts of what he could do to Felix for his incompetence. "At the moment…only two things would bring me greater joy. The first is your entire rule over this good land."

The Vice-Lord's grin grew. "Second? What is your other?"

Norue knew his lord would be pleased by his response. He gazed at Sheba's limp form for a full three seconds, snapping his good eye back to gaze at his master. "Ridding this bitch from the face of the Moon."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Felix was slowly regaining his physical strength. In the last several minutes, he had managed to crawl over to Sheba's overturned bed-frame. He was clinging to two steel rungs with all the strength he could muster for more that several seconds. It was getting better as he pulled himself up, the progress faster as the feeling returned to him. Regardless, he realized how much of a hold his Psynergy had on him, to strip him of his physical energy as well. It was surprising.

"Can you stand?"

Felix's grip faltered, and he recovered it quickly. He strained his neck behind him, making out a dim form near his cell doors. Another blonde-haired boy, holding a torch to illuminate his way. However, Felix could tell that this wasn't Norue or Jase in the dim light provided. A small relief.

The boy held out a key. "We need to talk," he whispered. His words echoed about for a moment, soon made insignificant by the clicks of the door unlocking.

"I have…nothing…to say to…you people…" Felix gasped out, hoisting himself up further.

"I'm nothing like Norue, that bastard," the boy went on, rushing to Felix's side. He stowed his key in his robes, grasping one of the human's arms as his grip faltered once more. Understandably, Felix tried his best to struggle. "No, please…don't fight. You are close to Sheba, yes?"

The mention of his beloved's name brought Felix to his warrior senses, telling him that it was in his interest to hear this boy out. Still, his suspicion held. "Why…should it…matter…to you?"

"It means more to me than any power I could possibly posses."

"Who…are…" Felix began, standing, stooped over the metal frame for balance. He gazed at this boy as he looked at him, both considering the other. The blonde-haired boy moved first.

"My name is Simon," he began, bowing low. "I am a third-ranked sorcerer for the Anemos' military, which is handled by the Vice-Lord Yegelos. Son of the late Janice and Hawthorn, step-son to Yegelos himself, who is the unfortunate father of the Sheba we both wish to protect."

Felix attempted to stand in his shock. They had finally found them…Sheba's real family. Something about this wealth of information, however, sparked inside of him. He had heard that name before.

"Yegelos…" he murmured to himself. Simon didn't notice, and went on.

"This is a very bad place for Sheba to be. Why is she here?"

The human looked at the Anemos sorcerer. "We left Vale…four months…ago, on a quest…to discover Sheba…Sheba's blood…family."

"…That's…a very bad idea."

Simon needed only to look into Felix's questioning glare to understand that he needed to explain.

"The people he-"

Simon stopped in the middle of his statement, hastily looking out the bars that caged Felix. His breath quickened in fear, and he rushed out, hastily locking Felix in once again. Several seconds passed before the confused Felix realized why the boy had rushed out.

"Simon…what are you doing near that prisoner?"

Simon panicked – in his rush, he had been unable to remove his key from the lock. He spared a second to shoot Felix an apologetic look before responding.

"I sensed you were coming, and I thought you might want to…interrogate, Norue."

Felix half-gasped, unable to take in more air. His weakened lungs wouldn't allow it.

Norue stepped into his vision, glaring at Felix with a seething hate. In the glow of the torches held by him and Simon, Norue's black eye looked almost grotesquely alive. The flickering light gave the image of something inside the swollen skin, crawling, clawing, trying to escape.

"'Interrogate' is an understatement for what I plan on doing. But you have my small thanks for preparing my arrival. Open this door."

Simon hesitated for a small moment, soon unlocking the door and pulling the bars away, allowing Norue his entrance. The injured Anemos stood for a second, making a snide comment to the unfortunate third-rank sorcerer.

"What happens here is of no concern to you, Simon. Leave, and forget you saw me."

Sheba's brother immediately bowed, walking further down the passage without another word. Felix and Norue were left alone.

The Anemos boy gazed at Felix through a good right eye and a swollen left. Felix could feel the loathe seep from this boy's heart, and warrior instinct told him that he was in trouble. Understandably enough, Felix believed his instinct.

"It is a sad day for both of us," Norue began, raising his torch o spread the firelight all around the dark room. "First, you come with that wretched creature-"

"…shut up…" the warrior of Vale muttered. Norue continued, despite his whisper.

"-next, you dare to break free of your bonds. Just to be close to that stupid girl, of all things."

"She's not…stupid…"

"And to end it all, you _insult_ me by giving me injuries off of the battlefield! Dishonorable! I am disgraced before my comrades and my commander, by your hands. It is quite a dark day for me."

Norue paused to glare at the one whom he deemed a prime enemy. He reached into his robes, pulling out the glowing orb that had robbed Felix of his Psynergy.

"Now the storm clouds are moving away, set on covering your day with the same darkness you've placed on me," the proud Anemos officer said. "Now, I am pleased with the permission my master has granted me. I have been given access to exact revenge upon you, on behalf of me, my comrade, my lord, and all the Anemos. My good Vice-Lord has granted me free reign."

"…what do you…plan on…doing…" Felix gasped out, pushing himself up to his full height.

"I plan on taking your life, with the very power you held so dearly."

Though Felix's actions were made slow by his weakened physical state, his mind instantly supplied horror. His life was on the line, and it could either be saved or destroyed by this boy's whim. Felix thought quickly, wondering what he could possibly do to save himself.

"Norue…please, don't do this…" he begged. But the boy didn't listen. Rather, Norue was staring intently at the glowing sphere with his right eye, trying to remember the names of all the catastrophic spells he knew Venus possessed. He saw one, recalled the name, and smirked.

"This one…depicts the anger and wrath of the most Grand Gaia, does it not?" he asked silently. Upon the mention of the spell, both boys felt the stone shift underneath them. The rock under Felix's feet cracked and split, and he fell in to a Psynergenic abyss as he was pummeled by stones and boulders. He was thrown like a sand bag, and was made just as flexible by so many broken bones and shattered joints.

Felix's torment continued for a minute before Venus released him. The stone under him instantly repaired itself, leaving only a few telltale stones and dust as Felix's echoing screams died away in the corridors. There on the rock he remained, stunned, bleeding in more that many places. He coughed, blood trickling out of his lips. His grunts of pain continued, but were soon soothed away by an inexplicable warmth that filled his body.

Felix looked at his hands as golden orbs of healing power surrounded them, mending his bones. His gasps for breath were slowed into calmer, deeper inhales. As his strength was returned, he turned his head to gaze at Norue in the combined – almost conflicting – lights of the sphere and the torch. He was smiling darkly.

"What good is a plaything if it shatters upon the first use?" he mused, following the last golden orb seep into Felix's chest, ridding him of the remaining pain. Because the strongest Cure spell had been called upon, Felix was finally able to rise, quickly, to his feet. Still, he dared not move more than shaking his head, still silently pleading his opponent to cease and desist.

"Norue, please, you don't know what Venus can do."

The Anemos officer couldn't hold back his cackle. "I don't need to know anything more than what I can use to _destroy you_!"

As his shout died away, the boy shot out his hand that held the orb. He knew exactly what he wanted. "Hmm…it was called…yes, the powerful spell. Odyssey, it is called."

The color drained from Felix's face as he recalled the destructive tendencies of his – formerly – most powerful single-foe attack technique. He was stunned to silence for a moment, but soon found his voice once more, as the orb began to glow with an ominous blue.

"Norue…don't use that…it-"

"Do NOT tell me what to do!" he shouted, willing the spell to hasten. The blue glow began to spread the two men, enveloping them in a space-like void. Norue felt a rush of adrenaline – he was going to have his revenge, he was sure of it.

"You don't know what that spell is capable of!" Felix pleaded. But Norue ignored him, pushing Odyssey's appearance with all the strength he could spare. Far behind him, Felix caught the speeding form of the first of three blades, called forth to eradicate their enemy.

'_Norue…you wouldn't listen…you don't understand!'_ Felix thought.

The first blade struck at an angle. A gasp was made, but it was consumed in the void as the second of the three blades sped forth. Blood blossomed, seeping into cloth over-garments.

'_I tried to tell you…but now it's too late.'_

The second blade hit, and their target was brought down to his knees. Once more, blood seeped out from his throat, dripping onto what seemed to be nothing.

'_It can't be undone.'_

The sphere gathered the energies of the first two blades, adding their power to make the third blade more deadly. It appeared behind the officer, flashed thrice as the power was gathered to it, and sped to its' target.

'_I never wanted…any unneeded bloodshed. Not like this…'_

The third blade sped through its target, shattering the first two swords as their own power was outmatched. Blood spurted out of the fresh, wide wound, spilling over. Nearby cloth absorbed most of it, discoloring it to a red hue. So much blood was spilled that the color soon changed to a horrendous black as the space-like void was called back into the sphere.

'_But now…it's too late.'_

Felix sank to his knees, making his eyes level with that of Norue's. The blades of Venus, contrary to the officer's thought, had pierced _him_ rather than his prisoner. His own blood spilled over from his fresh wounds – wounds that he had never acquired before, or even inflicted to anything else. This was the worst insult Norue could have been brought – a dishonorable death. Suicide, in a sense. But both knew the truth.

Norue's features were that of horror. After all the years of faithfully serving in his lord's military, he was brought to death by his own proud will. The color was overtaken in his green eyes, clouded over as Death called out to him. The torch fell from his hand, clattering to the stone ground, the sound echoing throughout the corridors of the prison block. As Norue's last breath left his body, he collapsed to the stone ground, not moving. He didn't struggle as Death's embrace consumed him.

Norue, the elite first-rank officer of the Anemos military, had always held true to his orders. Tonight, his orders were to make his eye injury negligible. With death now having dominion over him, the injury was made negligible.

Of course, Felix had known about the legendary Odyssey spell. It was he who had made the discovery, and it was he who had spread the word. When called upon, the Swords of Venus act of their own will, seeking their most vulnerable enemy. As the most sought-after spell in the element, it has gained more power than any other spell in Venus' possession. It will seek out and destroy opposing elementals before moving on to other Adepts of Venus, if their intended target is an Adept at all.

Felix, at the time, was not an Adept. Norue, at the time, was an Adept. An Adept linked to Jupiter, the natural opponent of Venus.

Norue was sought out. Norue was killed.

Felix had nothing to say.

"Norue!" a voice called. A voice that Felix recognized. He looked up from the Adept's fallen form to see Jase round the bend, his figure obscured in the failing light of the torch…

Realization hit both men. Felix searched for the sphere that contained his power, while Jase rushed into the cell to his dead comrade's side.

It took a fleeting moment for Jase to realize what had happened. However, it took him several moments for him to supply a suitable scenario, one that would be more favorable. He clutched Norue's bloodied robes tightly, glaring at Felix with a hate he hadn't felt in his whole young life.

"Murderer!"

Felix shot Jase a shocked look. In reaction, he tried to explain his case. "No, Jase…you don't understand…"

"What's not to understand?!?" he cried, rushing over to Felix. He shoved him to the stone ground, drawing is curved knife in anger. "You took the life of my partner! You killed him!" He paused for a small second, sending a Psynergenic message to his Vice-Lord. The message contained the unfortunate news.

In his rage, Jase slashed down blindly with his weapon. He relished the shout of pain as the blade made contact above Felix's right eye. The human's hand shot to cover the wound, his blood still working its way through his fingers. Jase fell on top of him, his knee landing painfully on his stomach. The Anemos boy reached out, grasping the torch, lifting it before the flame died away. He held up the flickering light source, swiftly rising his blade to Felix's throat. After adding pressure, Jase was madly delighted to see a trickle of blood flow down the blade from a new light wound. His eyes widened once as he decided to slit Felix's throat, and once again as he felt a heavier presence behind him.

The boy let out a sigh, relinquishing his hold on his knife. It slid away from the human's jugular, dropping to the stone ground with a _clang_. Jase lowered his head as a deeper voice sounded behind him.

"Rise, young Jase, and step away."

Without a word, the Anemos officer complied, standing stiffly in a corner, his head still lowered. His eyes wandered to Norue's body, and Jase hid his fury for another time.

Felix, grunting with his pained eyebrow, opened his eyes to his surroundings. He saw a tall, older man standing above him. He had on long, flowing robes, and his golden hair rested gently on his shoulders. The man's eyes were assessing the room's condition, taking in every loose stone, any stray pebble that was visible, and the line of blood that originated from Norue's body. Finally, his sight rested on Felix's shaking form. The man scowled, unimpressed.

"It was a spell of Venus that took Norue's life, was it not?" he asked.

Felix, concerned for his life, nodded.

"The spell once belonged to you, yes?"

Felix nodded once more.

"So, it was by your knowledge – by your spell – that my officer is dead. That makes you responsible."

The human's head shook in disagreement. "I didn't call on Odyssey. It was Norue's own doing – I tried to warn him."

"Nonsense. If you hadn't arrived here, none of this would have occurred whatsoever. Norue's blood is on your hands, earthen scum."

The Vice-Lord, for of course it was he, saw a shimmering in the corner of his eye. He didn't bother looking at it, instead issuing an order.

"Jase, recover the orb."

Jase hesitated for a second, mortified at the notion of disturbing his partner and friend. Still, he recovered his sense, and bent to his knees. He reached out to Norue's hands, growing cold as his blood stilled. Closing his eyes, Jase grasped the sphere that Norue's dying grip had held, and pulled away. He quickly rose, stepping back once more.

"This one," the older man began, "wants to see the other one, I believe…"

Felix had a split second to consider his words before something happened. The man above him began to rise off the ground, and by his will, Psynergenically had Felix rise, as well. He didn't have anything to think about – his mind supplied an explanation immediately.

'_What the…Flight?'_

' ' '_Indeed, pitiful human!' ' '_ The Vice-Lord yelled in Felix's mind.

The next moment was a blur for Felix. The Vice-Lord had sped out of the cell, his boots two feet from the stone ground. The cold air whipped past the two men as the one flying took several turns skillfully, magically carrying the unfortunate human behind him. They came to a door, but the older man didn't bother stopping, or even slowing down. He merely glanced at the door, and a surge of wind sped past him, blasting it wide open.

The Vice-Lord touched the ground, mentally throwing Felix to it. The boy hit the stone painfully, rolling until his momentum from the flight was dissipated. He coughed as his lungs screamed for air, and he doubled over as his torso was kicked by the older man.

"WHY DO YOU DARE COME HERE?!?" he shouted, landing a second kick at Felix's exposed arm. A gash appeared, and the floor underneath them was stained. "Why do you _insult_ us with HER?!?"

Felix, noticing that the blows had ended, looked up. He saw the man's outstretched arm, pointing away to a corner. The boy followed the indicating finger, finally spotting Sheba huddled by herself. She gazed at him in a mix of shock and horror, and waited a moment before jumping to her feet and rushing over toward Felix.

The commander of the Anemos military was slightly surprised, but realized how the girl had managed to stand so quickly. With his prized officer dead, the nameless spell had been shattered, and Sheba was no longer hindered. His eyes narrowed, and he aimed a kick at Sheba as she ran to her beloved's side. The blow landed with horrendous force, and Sheba was brought down to the ground mere inches from Felix's cringing body.

"Stay down, cursed one," the Vice-Lord muttered, his voice dripping with hidden hate.

Having Felix next to her, even if he was hurt, gave Sheba comfort and courage to speak her mind. "Who the hell are you?" she gasped out, crawling to close the distance between her and the boy nearby. "Why are you doing this?"

"You don't know who I am?" the man sneered, stepping back slowly, trying to calm himself enough. "You haven't learned why we despise you so? You will bring the end of us all if you stay here!"

He began pacing, recalling all the history of his kind – legends, myths, and stories. He considered his actions fifteen years prior, the sequence of events that followed, choices made, and the consequences that followed. He paused, staring at a nearby portrait of two Anemos mages. Together, the two were pushing back a tide of Element-bound creatures that would have otherwise overrun them. Mass amounts of Psynergy were depicted to be flowing off the two mages, spilling over their fingertips in a torrent. Gales and bolts of plasma surrounded every being, and – despite the Elemental's sheer numbers – it was clear that the Anemos would be victorious.

"It was foretold that a being would be brought into our lands," the man began, looking downcast. "This being would be in the shape of one of our own – human – Adept – Anemos. An Anemos with immense power, one who would bring a turning point for our civilization.

"What we received, however, was not what we had hoped for. This new Anemos was incapable of learning the ultimate of Jupiter knowledge – no matter what resource or incantation was used, this being's mind couldn't handle it.

"Days followed, and it was prophesied again that this being would bring a turning point to our land. However, we delved deeper into the meanings of the cryptic messages, and unearthed the true meaning. If this being couldn't handle the true might of Jupiter's gales, then it would, ultimately, bring about the swift downfall of the Anemos altogether.

"Many sleepless nights were spent trying to forge a solution to this problem. Many more methods were tried, and all failed miserably. After several wasted days, only one solution stood triumphant."

The Vice-Lord paused for a moment, turning to gaze at Sheba's quivering form. Hate swirled behind his eyes as he concluded.

"I was the prophesier, and you…little witch…were the being that would destroy us all."

The man took a vicious step forward, causing Felix and Sheba to recoil backward, away from the threatening boot covered by many folds of authoritative robes.

"The solution used was maddening to some – justified for the rest. We surrounded the witch with a simple hex, one that would bring her down to the cursed twilight of Weyard. There, she was thought to stay, forever a curse upon people she could do no harm to. Of course, we couldn't bring death to one of our own people – a doom though she was, she was an Anemos. She would do harm to us if she had remained here. It was better for her to stay on the corroded surface!"

Felix managed to open both his eyes, wiping away the trail of blood that would have obscured his vision. His gashed arm screamed at him, demanding Curative Psynergy that he didn't possess.

"You've made powerful enemies, Yegelos," he stated simply, attempting to rise. Sheba's grip on his shoulders tightened in protest.

The Vice-Lord cocked an eyebrow, slightly interested and surprised at the boy's sudden statement. "Your boldness out-speaks you, human," he replied, taking two paces to a door at the back of the room. "You have not the strength to hold true to it. You are weak, helpless. Incapable of being worth the effort…"

Yegelos paused, considered a deathly option, and smirked ever so slightly. Perhaps there was a way for this boy to be worthy of effort. An entertaining way.

Jase entered slowly, his robes stained in blood largely over his front. Yegelos gazed at his saddened eyes, and saw into his immediate memory. Jase had just completed an initial phase of an Anemos burial. Having carried his comrade's limp body through many hallways, Norue's cold blood had seeped through Jase's robes, marking him as humbled.

Behind Jase entered Simon, who cautiously remained half-hidden beyond the large doors. His one eye that was revealed glanced at Sheba, for only a second. She was not looking his way, and he only managed to see her back and slowly shaking head as she whispered something to Felix.

"Simon, why are you here?" the Vice-Lord demanded. Jase stepped to the side, revealing Simon to Yegelos' full criticizing sight. He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "Came to see your damned sister, I imagine?"

Sheba's head snapped around, finally looking at the young boy. She met her gaze with Simon's, and no words were needed – she could feel a sense of protection, from him, for her. Questions flooded her mind, but she couldn't bring herself to ask them. Simon's gaze changed, shifting to hold unnecessary guilt on his part, and a hopeless will to aid her.

"Just…passing by, sir. I saw the state of Jase's clothing, and I became…curious, sir."

"What the actions of my elite sorcerers are is none of your concern, and it shan't ever be," the older man replied, dismissing Simon with an annoyed wave of his hand.

Simon opened his mouth, checked his motion, and closed it once more. He bowed slightly, bound by protocol, and walked away without hesitating. Sheba watched his form leave her vision, and she pushed her questions to the back of her mind, redirecting her attention back to Felix and Yegelos.

The Vice-Lord looked to the three that were nearby. He gazed as his officer for a moment before speaking again.

"Jase…do what you must to have Norue's honor preserved in his death."

Sheba inwardly gasped, glancing at Felix. She didn't understand – had Felix managed to kill Norue? Felix, who predicted her thoughts by her surprised features, gently shook his head. The female Jupiter Adept put the question off for later.

Yegelos continued. "I now retire until dawn breaks on the surface. Lock these two here, and deprive them of any further hope. In fact…" he paused, gazing at Felix with a thoughtful gleam in his eyes. "Give this human a glimpse of the future, as you please."

Jase, saddened though he was, snapped straight and saluted his superior. He held the position until the older man silently walked out of the room. He relaxed his salute, letting his arm fall like so many pounds of dead weight. The officer's head drooped, and he gazed at the ground, the last several agonizing moments replaying in his mind. Everything had been fine for him until this night. Trespassing curses, bloodshed, death – before tonight, his life was getting better. His partner and friend even recommended him for a better duty under their master.

Now, everything was falling in shambles before him. Worse, before his commander.

"A glimpse of the future…? But you are looking upon it."

The two adventurers looked at him as he muttered this. Jase's head lifted, and in his eyes shone a murderous glint of red.

"Loss…anger…despair…bloodshed…hopelessness… Hmph, that _is_ your future, as long as you remain here."

The officer took five strides to the two prisoners, who visibly recoiled. Sheba quickly moved her hand behind her back, willing a small concentration of the thin air into her palm. If need be, she might be able to knock this Anemos unconscious.

"Look at yourself now, human. You have suffered many wounds, which you can no longer heal. Your own blood has fallen upon the floors of my home. You, along with this witch you care so much for, have tainted all who have seen you. You…boy…are nothing more than a burden upon this Moon."

In collected and controlled anger, Jase shot out his boot, covering Felix's arm wound. The Jupiter sorcerer stepped down upon it, adding pressure and pain to the human's burning nerves. Despite the fire running up his nerves, Felix remained silent, cringing only slightly.

"You will be made helpless, suffering losses, made to despair, lost to anger, dead by your own bloodshed – when every trace of your already faltering hope has been dashed out, like so brief a candle's light before the gathering midnight. Our darkness will claim you as it has claimed others, and you shall give in before your time is done. Pain and death will be thrown at you, and though you make to dodge them, you shall give in before your time is done. You shall suffer, just as the traitor Hoabna suffered, and you shall face death before your time is done."

Felix inwardly gasped. He _had_ heard of the name Yegelos before – and of Hoabna.

Sheba moved like lightning. She swung her arm in a tight arc, shooting the small gale at their attacker.

However, if she moved like lightning, Jase was the quicker flash before the strike. He merely glanced at it, and the sphere of winds dissolved back into the room. Before Sheba's eyes, the boy's body ran rich with Psynergy for less than a moment, and it vanished quicker than it had come. Unnerved further, she spoke, on the verge of stinging tears.

"What do you mean by your darkness? You are all none but Adepts!"

Jase merely shifted his gaze to stare at her, narrowing his eyes in distaste. He scoffed quietly. One of his own people, and she didn't even know about them?

"We inherited the power of the land to create a great darkness," he began, glancing at the mural of the two sorcerers beating back the myriad of beasts. "Blessed by Jupiter's eternal gift and never-ending blessings, we gained power over all others, knowledge equal to that of gods. A place to call home until eternity fails. Lands to watch over until wars break it apart. A world to oversee until nature unleashes her fury upon those who greedily consume her gifts. We give back, we handle our own, we are self-sufficient. We are more than Adepts, little witch. We are the Anemos!"

He bent low, quieting his voice to a harsh whisper. He added more weight to Felix's wound, and he squirmed in the searing pain than travelled up his arm.

"And we erase the past," he concluded, infuriated.

He held onto his rage once more, lifting his boot from Felix's cut. Fresh blood, which was placed under pressure, gushed out, forming a heated river of the red life-force over the human's arm. Jase stepped back, gazed at the two pitiful creatures before him, and walked away. The doors shut behind him, and with a surge of superheated plasma, he fused the doors together, merging them into the stone walls. Nothing short of a miracle could let them escape now.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before sleep claimed the two lovers, Sheba had managed to call upon one of her nine demigods, Breath, to restore Felix's body to good health. The small winged creature knew of their situation, and preformed quickly and greatly. The cut above Felix's eye, the bruise upon his stomach, and the gash on his arm all disappeared as the soothing purple light purged the pain from the human's frame.

The Djinni retreated back into the recesses of Sheba's mind, where she then flung herself on her loved one, crying uncontrollably. She apologized, claiming fault for the last day and night, pitting the blame on her own curiosity and ignorance. She admitted her sense of foreboding during their exploration of the ruins, regretting that she had said nothing. Several times, she prayed forgiveness for her desire to discover her family. If she had the slightest idea it would be like _this_, she would have never pursued the matter.

Distasteful, albeit welcome, sleep came to both friends after a lengthy session of comforting. In her upset state, Sheba was able to realize that they may not survive this place, if these assaults continued. At this thought, she gazed at Felix, asking him if he would stay with her. Felix, who had also discovered these thoughts within himself, didn't respond.

Hours passed, and Sol emerged on the surface of Weyard. People went about their daily routine and newfound tasks. For one man and his people, the subject of their newfound task was unwanted and loathed.

Yegelos sliced through the fused doors with sharp gusts of wind, bursting through them with a strength that didn't match his age. He quickly strode up to the awakening pair, pushing Sheba to a far wall with another surge of air. He bent low, twisted Felix's arm, paused a moment to wonder how his wounds had vanished, and quickly escorted the human back out of the room.

"You know that I can't escape from you!" Felix shouted after a long moment of being painfully led down many corridors, struggling to release himself from the Vice-Lord's tight grip. The human's muscles had tightened, sending sharp waves of pain through his arm. "So just let me walk on my own!"

Yegelos finally conceded to the boy's request, but didn't break stride himself. He called over his shoulder: "Follow closely, if you want to live through this next hour."

Felix was in no position to challenge his statement. He jogged up to follow the man down a series of darkened hallways, and they ended in a dark room, with a single flame in the center of an altar. Felix could see next to nothing.

"I need to get rid of you – both of you. Quickly."

The human turned to look at the older man angrily. He said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

"As per Anemos law, I must allow the choice to benefit all to be heard first. Boy…" he turned slowly, glaring at Felix. "Do you wish your freedom granted?"

Felix cocked an eyebrow, but replied. "With every wasted moment in this place."

"I have consulted over the last several moments, and we have concluded that you may be granted such freedom. You may earn it once more."

The human said nothing.

"You battled fiercely against the creatures that guard my home, I've heard. Norue reported that you possessed great skill in battle. So, I have decided…"

Yegelos stepped toward Felix. "If you manage the impossible feat of defeating our Warrior, then you shall be granted your freedom."

Felix immediately thought over what this veiled offer could mean. "Warrior? As in, the best fighter in your clan?"

"Indeed. Our Warrior has never known defeat – by humans, beasts, or celestials. Our Warrior holds within it great power, enough to bring us in this colony to our knees if we lost control. All fear its' power, and few can maintain it. I possess the greatest influence over the Warrior."

The human gazed into the torchlight, mulling over what the consequences could be. If Yegelos was speaking the truth – and Felix had no room to doubt it – then he could very well lose his life.

"Is there another option you and yours have discovered?" he asked, wanting to get all the information he could.

"Yes. Simple, really. We kill both of you on the spot, and send you down to Weyard in the same manner the girl did, fifteen years ago. Only this time, we'll be sure that you strike the ocean, where none can find you."

Felix didn't like the sound of it. "But then," he began, "why not just kill us now?"

"I've already explained that!" the Vice-Lord snapped. Felix took an involuntary step back. "Per Anemos law, the first option is beneficial to all. The second one cannot be immediately good for either of you two. I am bound by the customs that forged our colony."

Felix's mind supplied a memory – one of not too long ago. His visit, with Sheba, to the frozen wastes of Prox. He recalled his conversations with Puelle, the mayor, and the Elder. Both authorities had given them, indirectly, a path to follow. However, it was their question session that interested Felix.

"Bound?" he whispered, looking into Yegelos' eyes. "You're Anemos…you, along with the Lemurians and Shaman-" at the mention of the third clan, the Vice-Lord noticeably tensed, "-all of your customs faded when the seal on Alchemy was placed!"

"Yes, but there were some who restored the power to the surface. Our customs were re-instated."

Felix remained silent. Of course. Puelle had said that the customs died away after the seal was placed. So, of course, they were bound once again with the return of Alchemy.

"You know of…the traitorous Shaman?" he whispered.

The human looked up, slightly confused. "Yes…I learned of them in my travels with my friends and family. I know about you and Hoabna…how the two of you used to have healthy competition. But I also know how your people and his were tense with each other."

"Know first," Yegelos began, "that those details are none of your concern."

"Not to worry – I have no interest in your life," Felix muttered.

Tense seconds followed as the commander of the Anemos' military considered Felix. He scoffed, and turned around as the human spoke again.

"I'll accept your offer for our freedom, but I must stress conditions for any win."

This caught Yegelos' attention, and he turned around once more. He didn't respond, waiting for Felix to continue – almost in respect.

"If I do defeat your Warrior, then I leave – _with_ Sheba – with our equipment, items, lives, and health. We depart in the same condition we arrived. And don't worry…I'm certain we will have no intention to return."

"And if you do not win?"

Felix paused a moment, dreading the second possibly. "If your Warrior is as powerful as you claim, then I probably won't survive the encounter. If so, then I cannot protect Sheba as I have for so long."

He needn't say more. Yegelos had his options, and he grinned.

"This should be entertaining. You will put on a good show, won't you?"

Felix didn't respond.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours passed, and several things had happened. First, Felix rushed back down hallways that all seemed the same, managing to return to the room he and Sheba had been trapped in the night before. He burst through the door, but couldn't find his loved one in any area whatsoever. He came close to panic, but remembered, just in time – as Yegelos had said, he and his were bound by the laws that founded their lives. They wouldn't harm Sheba unless Felix lost to their Warrior.

The former Venus Adept hung his head low, despairing. He never imagined that anything like this would occur to him – more so to Sheba. During their travels, he had always felt an air of innocence and purity about the young girl, even during the myriad of battles they faced together. Somehow, Felix had gotten it into his mind that, if she ever came across her family, they would be just as kind and pure.

But now, trapped in a place that you have to be wrong in order to arrive? Had he known, he would have dashed the idea of coming here at all. Felix never wished for any of this; he would never dream of such horrendous things as he had seen in the last day. Never on himself, never on Sheba – hell, never on Menardi, even.

Felix turned around, heading toward the room Yegelos had pointed out to him.

He opened the door, relieved to see none else inside. Further relief struck him as he spotted his gear – sword, satchel, armor, all. He went about the various desks, inspecting all that was present. Only one thing was missing – and Felix wondered if he would be able to survive his upcoming encounter without his Psynergy.

He began strapping on his equipment. Tightening his blade, he recalled his adventures – troubled, yet cherished – with his friends and family. Testing his armor, his remembered his fall from the Lighthouse, with the pure, essential light of Venus behind and above him. Winding his satchel, his memories of his misadventures played, and he knew that he wouldn't trade them in for anything on all of Weyard – on or above it.

Sheba remained on his mind, even as he was interrupted.

' ' '_It is time, human.' ' '_

Felix stopped, lowering his head once more. As with all battles he had faced, he recited a silent prayer to the god of Venus, begging – if though he held not their power now – that He might bless him, granting him strength enough to succeed.

He sighed, and walked out the same doors he had entered minutes prior. A gentle wind blew down the corridors, pushing him toward his next battle site. The air was further chilled, and Felix deeply breathed in the thin oxygen about him, steadying his shaky nerves.

The wind led the human to a large, sand-covered area – he emerged from a fairly large gate, and he immediately spotted Yegelos, sitting many feet above him from a balcony. To his sides were Sheba, scared, and Jase, mad. The two Anemos in power looked down on the boy, while the third Anemos girl attempted to leap out of her father's reach. Yegelos was faster, and he pulled Sheba's pleading form back, sending a minor jolt throughout her system. She cried a little, pulling away from his grasp, and staying back from the edge.

Seeing her in distress caused something inside Felix to snap. He rushed forward, charging the twenty-foot-high balcony. In his rush, he began to draw his weapon form behind his waist – but was stopped several feet from the wall. An unseen force had halted his progress.

' ' '_You won't get far with that, fool.' ' '_

Felix landed on his back – his sword drawn, but away from his hand. "What…was that?" he breathed aloud, sitting and staring at the older Anemos authority.

"A cage," Jase answered, stepping forward. "Something to make certain you cannot run, when you realize how hopeless your situation is."

The human stood, defiant. "If I wanted to run, then I would have done so earlier!"

"Yes, but…we like entertainment. There's hardly anything that dares challenge our best, you see," the Anemos officer replied.

Felix chose not to respond to this, instead opting to cast a reassuring look to his beloved. Sheba looked down to him, her eyes dulled with a lack of hope. Yet, still they were wide, confident in her loved one.

"How touching…" Yegelos remarked, raising a hand in the air.

All four people stood silent, waiting for what only two of them knew about. Through Sheba's eyes, still power by the talents of an Adept, she was able to see a surge of azure Psynergy rush through the man's arm. The uncountable sparks and flashes gathered at the tips of his fingers, spun twice, and shot away to a special room. Several seconds later, a loud rumbling resonated throughout the small arena.

"Our Warrior is on its' way," Jase remarked, almost pleased.

An idea struck Felix. "Yegelos!"

The older man raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue.

"Jase said that you like entertainment, yes? Then give me a soldier's chance!"

The Vice-Lord knew immediately of what Felix spoke of. He considered the option, deciding that it wouldn't be much fun to watch Felix crushed without an effort.

"Jase…give this human a chance to become an Adept, once more."

Though he didn't agree with this notion, Jase kept his objection inside, where he knew it should be. Quietly, he reached into his robes – now cleaned of Norue's blood – and pulled out the glowing sphere that held Felix's powers. He glanced at the orb, then to the human below him. He waited.

Finally, Jase threw the sphere into the arena. Felix didn't make a sudden move to get to it – rather, he waited a moment to allow it to land, and slowly turned to face it. The orb was glowing, shining brightly, despite the rocky furies depicted within. As the human gazed at it, he felt as though the waving lights seemed to beckon to him, wanting to be reunited.

Felix took a single step to the nearby sphere, and a massive sword appeared between him and it.

He jumped back, reaching down and grabbing his dropped weapon. The appearance of the large blade caught him by surprise, and that was his first mistake. He held a defensive stance, ready to move if need be.

His waiting allowed the Warrior to emerge agonizingly slow. Bit by bit, Felix saw what the Anemos hailed as their prized fighter. It was a thick suit of armor, easily seven feet high, and lacked a flesh body within. Currents of energy ran through the openings in the plate mail, which itself was riddled with scratches from other people, vainly attempting to defeat it. Only two deep cuts could be seen, but the headless armor seemed to notice that Felix had seen them. Its left gauntlet ran two empty fingers across each scar, and then a large flash of plasma erupted from the tips. Felix could only imagine that the people who had caused the cuts had died most painfully. A large, heavy cape hung from the shoulder pads, and despite the obvious weight, the armor moved nimbly, unhindered.

It stood between Felix and the orb. Every move the boy would make, the phantom-filled armor would move to block the path.

"This is our Warrior," Yegelos called behind him. "It has never known defeat, has punished those who humiliate it, and has always emerged stronger."

"Have you not a name for it?" Felix shouted back, his eyes not leaving the opposing body before him.

"Indeed," Jase continued, stepping back to enjoy the battle unfold. "In the lost language of the Golden Age, before the Shaman turned away from us, it was known as Keeper of the Dead. After many victorious battles and dishonorable deaths by its' hands, we discerned its' true name. Human, you now clash swords against Dullahan, the Shadow, the Keeper of the Light."

"And here your light shall be held back, never reaching the surface," Yegelos concluded. "As your light is pushed farther and farther down and away, eventually the shadows shall dominate. You have already lost."

Felix had heard more than enough. He pushed the three Anemos behind him out of his mind, focusing entirely on the phantom battle armor before him. Dullahan, sensing the battle was underway, tensed as well.

The human darted forward, pushing his legs to their limits. He sprinted faster than he thought he could, around, across from, and eventually behind the Warrior of the Anemos. He paused for only a second, searching for the orb that contained his power. He spotted it, and dove.

The armor moved quicker, whipping one heavily plated arm behind him, once again blocking Felix from the golden sphere. He couldn't stop in time, and ran right into the thick armor. The Warrior seized the chance, and pushed its arm forward, propelling Felix across the arena. His momentum ceased inches before his boot grazed the unseen cage.

The boy rose, steadied himself, and pushed himself once more. This time, he darted in a zigzag pattern, causing the armor to shift its stance more than once. Felix saw an opening, and jumped for a wide space between Dullahan's leggings. The ghostly armor hadn't anticipated this, and was unable to react quickly. It turned, bringing its' sword around with crushing speed.

The massive blade cut clean through Felix.

However, the human – who was not a human – was unharmed.

As the blade swept through Felix's body, he began to dissolve into golden grains. The boy turned slightly, enough to reveal his sword in his right hand…and the orb in his left, emptying the last of its' contents into Felix's mind. The last of his Psynergy returned to him, and Felix melted into the shifting ground beneath him. All that remained was a small lump of earth, which, too, disappeared from sight.

Dullahan immediately put its back to the edge of the cage. Yes, it was powerful, but it didn't have a set of eyes behind it. It knew that, if the small boy managed to emerge behind it, it might be in slight trouble.

Yegelos, Jase, and Sheba were all leaning forward, watching with piqued interest. Sheba's hope was returning, bit by bit, and she mentally clutched at it, willing it to remain. Her father, sensing her rising spirits, placed his voice in her head, threatening. Sheba cringed.

Dullahan saw some movement, and turned its' headless vision. Moving up to it, defiantly, was a small brown creature. Ocean-blue eyes stared up at the Warrior, and it was befuddled by this insulting beast. The armor shifted stances to strike the mole down.

A sound of moving sand was heard from behind Dullahan. In less than an instant, the small Djinni sped to Felix, who had emerged in a leap, and bonded itself to his blade. Felix didn't waste a single moment – he brought his blade down in a tight arc, empowered with Echo's might. The weapon sliced through the heavy cape, continuing to the back armor. A large scratch was formed, and was immediately deepened with a second cut by the demigod's blessing.

A hollow sound emanated from Dullahan – it seemed like a surprised roar. It stepped forward, taken aback, wondering how this boy could have preformed such a feat. The Warrior was insulted, spinning around as Felix jumped away, the last of Echo's power leaving his weapon.

The Venus Adept had returned.

Felix felt good – his Psynergy has successfully bonded with him once more, and all his knowledge returned perfectly. His nine Djinn had even spared a moment to welcome him back.

The Keeper of the Light spun around, bringing its' sword to bear. It waited several moments, gathering…something. Soon, Felix was able to see his blade grow, a field of energy surrounding it, and more added every second. Dullahan's blade, too, was being empowered. As the energy overtook the blade, covering it in pulsating white light, a discernable word was made from inside the armor. Each repetition added more to the brightness.

"_Formina…Formina…Formina…"_

Jase smiled.

Without warning, Dullahan brought its' energized blade down with the might of an avalanche. Felix, reacting, swung his own sword upward, attempting to block the strike. Both swords clashed, and the power of Formina was dispersed – but Felix was knocked backward with such force, he was rebounded several feet by the invisible cage.

Felix coughed twice, called the Curative spells within him to mend his bruising skin, and twisted up to his feet. He had never heard of the power of Formina, or of the word Formina itself. He imagined it was a word from the older days of Weyard.

The Shadow shot out one armor-covered arm, and from the palm of the gauntlet shot a branching jolt of plasma. The air heated around the two battlers, and Felix leapt to the side, rolling out of the way. The electric attack missed him by millimeters. He spared a glance behind him – the sand where he had been standing had been heated, melting into a smooth glass.

Even Sheba's or Ivan's plasma hadn't done that before. It was clear to Felix now…his life was in danger. He was facing what could be a superior being.

But it wouldn't stop him yet.

Sheba's wrist was being held in a vice-like grip by Yegelos. Every time she moved the slightest bit away from him, he sent a shock through her system, extensive pain with it. Her gaze shifted from the Vice-Lord to Felix, wary of each. She held her stare upon the Venus Adept as he called forth massive Psynergenic swords – the same attack that had taken Norue's life. Dullahan suffered all three magical strikes, but hardly flinched. The swords disappeared, and the phantom-filled armor didn't waste time with closing the distance between it and its' opponent.

The Warrior's sword crashed down, and Felix narrowly avoided it. Dullahan swung it upward, forcing the Adept to block it in desperation. He held his footing, struggling against the Warrior's strength. The armor leaned into the blade, straining Felix further.

The ground underneath Felix glowed, and large golden stones shot out all around him, contacting Dullahan. The Shadow couldn't pull away in time, and was buffeted by each shining stone. It pushed itself away from the source, but it saw – along with the rocks – the same mole-like beast from before. Only now, it was an embodiment of the earth, a powerful piece.

Eventually, the stones ceased, and Dullahan, recovered. It looked around with its' headless vision, conjuring another plasma storm in its' left gauntlet. It couldn't see the enemy – just a small mound of sand. The Keeper of the Light knew this arena well enough to know this was an anomaly, and, seizing the chance, shot out the plasma salvo at the mound.

Felix was hit. The electric strike forced him from his Sand maneuver, and he was brought out once more. His outer clothing smoldered slightly, and he patted the heat out.

He stood, glaring at the hellish armor. Again, the giant hand rose, manifesting another storm – except this one was golden, rather than the purple and white of plasma. The Earth Adept prepared to counter any physical strike, and to jump away if need be. He raised his sword.

If Dullahan had a mouth, it would have been pulled into a hateful smirk.

The plated hand twitched, and the storm vanished. Felix felt something within him. He looked down, and saw the same storm appear underneath his feet. It exploded under him, enveloping his entire body. Except, he felt, this attack didn't harm his body. It went deep into the recesses of his mind.

Before too long, Felix jolted forward, and he felt an ominous chill run through his strength.

Without warning, Felix's body locked. Nine golden spheres appeared behind him, emerging from the back of his head. Each orb grew, revealing that all held a captive. His Djinn. The nine balls of light took the forms of the demigods, slightly transparent, and all struggling. They were forced into a single line above the Adept's head.

The armor calmly – mockingly – took one step forward, once again calling out _"Formina"_ to strengthen his sword. The white field of energy returned and grew. The plated arm, gauntlet, and Formina blade pulled back and Dullahan prepared his strike. It swung the blade in a merciless forward arc, slicing each of the captive Djinn from one side to the other. None were spared. Each elemental was drained, and they began to disintegrate.

Felix's energy was stripped from him. With the spell complete, he was able to move once more. He fell to his hands and knees, barely holding on to his blade. The thick locks of brown hair covered his face as, in his nausea of losing his Djinn, he vomited upon the sand.

Sheba was immensely worried. Still, she reached for the hope that seemed to flutter out of her grasp.

Felix attempted to rise, to stand and face his enemy. He wavered in his place, barely keeping his grip on his sword. Somehow, this demon had uncovered and drained the demigods that strengthened Felix – his Djinn. The Venus Adept couldn't understand how, but he knew that, due to the blows received and deflected prior, he couldn't last much longer.

The phantom-filled armor raised one gauntlet above the battle armor without a head. From the tips of the mail-covered fingers, a dark and hellish storm began to manifest. It grew, spreading, overtaking, and dominating the empty space and thin air behind the armor. Streaks of devilish energy splayed across the surface of the storm, crackling as it made contact with the sand below it. Felix felt as though his will to survive was being siphoned away.

The storm shattered, and in its' place hovered a large, semi-transparent creature, spider-like before Felix's horrified eyes. The new beast spared a fleeting moment to gaze at its' target through several black slits before it attacked. The many arms it possessed curled inward, drawing flashes of nether-worldly energy to it. A black sphere materialized, and with a twitch of the dozen arms, it sped toward Felix.

The boy had no time to react. The blackness enveloped him, breaking into his strength – and, to his mortifying realization, his mind. The type of pain he experienced was like nothing he had ever felt in his life. While other creatures made to physically harm their prey, this storm feasted on Felix's will to live. Memories were unearthed and tainted, thoughts of friends were shattered, anything loving and kind was siphoned away. He was consumed in…what seemed like nothing. Nothing was left.

The darkness lifted, and the spider beast dissipated. Felix was revealed, on the ground, on his stomach, not moving. His weapon had fallen mere inches away, but he made no attempt to reach for it. He wouldn't.

What was the point? He had lost. He had been bested by an Anemos-forged devil, the guardian of their home. Its attacks were better, its movements were quicker, its strength was superior. Felix simply lie down, sand sticking to freshly opened wounds. The armor's last attack had drained him. Felix prided himself in being powerful – powerful in the mind, and powerful in the body.

The armor's skill had drained both.

Dullahan moved in for the kill.

Sheba turned away, fresh tears running over her eyes.

Yegelos' grip slackened, and he allowed the girl to move away slightly.

Jase couldn't turn away. Soon, his friend would be avenged for his death, the blame of which still fell on the Venus Adept.

Felix could still feel two things: the warm blood running down his fresh cuts, and the slowing beat of his heart.

'_I guess…this is it…'_

_Thump-thump._ His heart struggled to keep going.

'_There's no point in going on.'_

_Thump-thump._

'_I will die…here…'_

_Thump…thump…_

'…_and Sheba will have…lost her guardian…her failure of a protector.'_

…_Thump…thump…_

'_There's no point in it…'_

…_Thump…_

He opened his eyes a little, barely seeing the balcony through his bloodshot vision. Dullahan's boot appeared in his sight.

…_thum…thump…_

Wait…that wasn't his heart's beat…

…_thump…Thump…_

The Adept painfully twisted his head around, searching for the source.

…_Thump…thump…_

His sight passed over the Warrior. The massive sword began to glow white once more.

…_Thump…Thump…_

His search continued, looking past the sheets of glass on the ground.

_Thump…Thump._

His vision landed on his sword, resting inches from his fingers.

_Thump-Thump._

'_What…is this…?'_

The blade was exuding tendrils of dark red energy…_and was beating its' heart with Felix's._

_THUMP-THUMP!_

The red lines reached for the boy's hand, and his hand stretched for the sword.

The tendrils wrapped around the digits. His hand grasped the handle.

'_No…there is a point in going on!'_

Felix's Sol Blade let out a howl!

The red strings of energy pulsated darker as each beat of each heart quickened, in perfect synchronization. They continued to wrap around the sword bearer, soon consuming his whole body. Dullahan was stunned into immobilization by the sight and sound. None rose after it summoned its servant.

The pulsating cocoon stood upright, held for two full seconds, and was propelled into the air. The red lines split, and Felix was revealed, surrounded by a red glow. He hovered in the air, his eyes closed, his sword beating with the synchronized hearts.

The glow collected behind the boy, growing, adding, always adding. A hole appeared in the middle, and what looked like a burning stone…nay, a mountain, for its' size…was revealed.

Felix opened his eyes. He saw his opponent, the burning rock nearby…and in his mind's eye, seven faces came to him. His fellow Adepts. His friends. His sister. His family.

From his heart's own energy, the power of each of the seven was added to the burning meteor – which was now fully revealed, showing it to be spherical and littered with craters from smaller stones. The glow around it intensified, blinding all who looked at it.

Dullahan rose a gauntlet to shield its' headless vision.

Felix raised his arm, his sword with it. The beating of the hearts continued thrice more, and he swung the blade down with more force than he knew was capable for him. He felt as though his seven Adept companions were aiding with the swing. The meteor began its' descent to Felix's target.

The Warrior of the Anemos felt the heat of the burning stone coming at it, and moved to destroy it. The armor took one step forward, swinging the Formina blade in powerful desperation.

The white energy shattered before it even contacted the fiery attack. With it, Dullahan's entire sword was knocked away, and it crashed against the invisible cage, shattering it. Cooler air rushed in, only to be heated by the meteor.

The Keeper of the Light, blinded, was defenseless.

A sound of crushing plate mail was heard underneath the roaring of Felix's weapon.

The air cooled.

The roar quieted.

The Adept drifted slowly to the sand. The energy surrounding him began to fade.

Felix blinked as his feet touched the ground. He stumbled slightly, making his way to his enemy. He walked around the massive stone, which had cooled. Coming to a single gauntlet, Felix walked a little faster. He didn't hesitate with stabbing the gauntlet, and the ghostly hand within. The Adept pulled out his weapon, continued until he saw the top of the chest armor. He gazed at the crushed metal for a moment, then ran his blade through, ensuring death.

The victorious Venus Adept turned, facing the balcony. He saw Jase, frozen in shock. Yegelos near him, absolutely stunned. And Sheba nearly behind, looking through tear-infested eyes, which shined with hope.

"Your Warrior…has fallen…" Felix whispered, just loud enough to echo about the stone walls.

The Vice-Lord had heard him, and glared with a seething hatred that surpassed even that which he held for his daughter.

"Our bargain is almost done… I have won."

Sheba moved close to the balcony's edge. Yegelos didn't hold her back.

"Uphold your end of the deal, Yegelos. We shall leave, with our lives and health."

Jase looked to his lord, hoping he could do something to end the lives of the prisoners. The Vice-Lord didn't respond to him. Rather, the older man continued to stare at the boy, who – in turn – stared right back. Yegelos turned away, and connected his mind with Sheba's.

' ' '_Get out of my sight.' ' '_

Sheba looked to Yegelos once, then to Felix, and then breathed twice. She flexed her legs, and pushed herself over the balcony, falling the large distance to the ground – the ground that Felix had influenced to meet her.

She landed without injury, was brought down to the sand, and immediately rushed to Felix's side. She clung to his arm, shaking uncontrollably. Felix remained standing, lacing his fingers with hers.

"Let's go," he muttered, beginning to turn away to the gate he had entered through.

Sheba turned with him, and walked by his side. She didn't look back to see her father round on Jase, inflicting the pent-up anger of the last several hours on the unfortunate officer. She closed her ears to the screams and pleas, shut her mind to any incoming Psynergenic voices, and gripped her beloved's arm tightly.

She would never leave his side again, as she had been forced to in the last day.

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Sheba had recovered her equipment and items, never moving more than several feet away from Felix. He, meanwhile, continually looked around the dark corridors and rooms he came across, wary for any radical loyalists. They were, as Felix had been, led by a manifested wind, taking them to the correct rooms and archways, until they found themselves just before the life that had brought them to this hellish place.

"Sheba…"

Sheba looked around – Felix hadn't spoken. It was another Anemos sorcerer, the one Yegelos had dismissed so carelessly the night before.

Felix noticed him with her. "…Simon?"

Simon nodded, stepping forward. "Sheba…" was all he could mutter.

A quote from the previous night emerged in Sheba's memory. _"Came to see your damned sister?"_ she recalled. It was more than she needed.

"You are…" she breathed. Simon nodded.

"Your brother, Sheba. Step-brother, really – but the only one in your family who is actually concerned for you."

Brother and sister embraced, the truth striking each of them. Simon gripped her with the many, many years of missing her. Sheba returned the hug, a thought coming to her.

"No, you're not," she began, after they had pulled away. "I have my family…and they all care for me."

She stepped away, moving back to Felix's side. Simon, though saddened by her words, was happy by what she had found. He looked at Felix, thanking him through his eyes.

"You have found a good man, Sheba."

The two Anemos looked one last time before Sheba smiled, thanked him, and turned away. Felix bowed to Simon – and was slightly taken aback when his was _saluted_ by the young sorcerer – and turned as well.

The two lovers stepped onto the lift, which had spots of Felix's blood still stained on the stone. Sheba looked back, but didn't see Simon. She sent her best fortune with him.

Felix reached out to his loved one, the one he would always – and very nearly _did_ – give his life for. Sheba slowly moved into his reach, and they embraced tightly. In a loud, clear voice, Felix called out a single word, the destination he wished to go.

"Home."

In Felix's other hand, the Teleport Lapis began to glow with a ferocity that he hadn't seen in all his days of traveling. The light grew brighter, and the bodies of the two Adepts began to pulse with blue light.

The light stopped, the room emptied, and two Adepts…who had seen more than enough…returned to Weyard.

**End chapter 12**

Author's comments: Oh, my god…I can't believe how excited I am to have finally finished this chapter! I look at the document stats, and I see 33 pages, and well over 14,000 words! And you survived them all!

Yes, this almost completes this story. One more chapter to go, that will end this segment in the lives of Felix and Sheba. Next chapter is the final one, the end of this story.


	13. We'll Never Set as the Sun Does

**The Truth is Painful**

Sandshipping, story, Leoshi. What more could you want?

!Disclaimer! Acknowledge Camelot and Nintendo for the amazing Golden Sun series. Also, thank them for the Sol Blade…which will one day be _mine_…eheheh…

Here we have it, the final chapter in the greatest story I've written to date. Lately, Felix and Sheba have been going from bad to worse. Thankfully, they've managed to return home – and regretfully, they've discovered Sheba's prideful family.

In this chapter…I'll just let you find out. Enjoy.

**Chapter 13:** We'll Never Set as the Sun Does

Felix fumbled with the Lapis in his hand, instinctively moving to catch it. His footing shifted, and he began to fall to a dirt road. His other hand left the shoulders he had been holding during the minute-long warp back to this road. He hit the ground, grunting in his already set fatigue. Oddly, he welcomed the chance to lie down and relax, and didn't immediately rise.

Sheba stumbled when Felix fell. She, too, began to fall, and couldn't right herself in time to stop the descent. She landed roughly on the dirt road, sending a light cloud of dust into the dusk. Her eyes had closed, and she remained on her side, taking the chance to regain her strength.

Both Adepts had been more than sapped in the last two days. Now that they had returned to Weyard, the air felt heavy and laced with toxins from various forges nearby – to them, it tasted right. The air was also warm – a welcome, moist warmth that seemed to latch onto them, wishing their prolonged stay.

Felix slowly opened his eyes, revealing the fiery sky above him, colored crimson with Sol's continuing departure. He saw the golden sphere of light, the single star that allowed life on his world. Silently, he vowed never to make an adventure that would let be _near_ it in any way. Best to let things be, with nothing more than knowledge.

He reached out and reclaimed his Lapis from the ground. The light within the stone had faded, and all that remained was the item itself. Still, in the waning light, it reflected the red rays of the sun.

Sheba spoke first. "Where…where are we?"

The Venus Adept slowly turned, gathering his surroundings. All around, small meadows and trees, their leaves fading with the coming autumn, were seen. A river trickled some twenty yards away, and the sound accompanied that of the goodnight notes of the birds. Behind him, he saw the Western exit to a town – a town he recognized.

"Vault," he breathed loudly, resting his tired body on the warmed road. "We're just…past Vault…West of it."

Sheba sat up, looking around as well. She inched closer to Felix, placing her hand in his. "You meant to try for Vale, didn't you?"

Felix nodded, closing his eyes once more. "I tried, but I've just got…nothing left. I'm drained…"

"Me, too," Sheba conceded, laying next her loved one. "That moon is just so far away…I gave all I had, and we couldn't even get near Vale…"

"We're near enough," he said, squeezing her hand, rolling closer to her.

Neither Adept moved for many minutes after that phrase. They enjoyed the fading colors of the land, watching them shift from a warm orange to deepening red. Shadows from the trees nearby grew tall, overtaking the road's illumination. Soon, Felix gently kissed his love, rousing her.

"We need to keep going…just once more…" he whispered.

Sheba's eyes struggled to stay open, and she smiled up at him.

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Felix stopped in his tracks as he and Sheba rounded the mountain range that enclosed Vale. She stopped with him, and both looked ahead. The Earth Adept couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Un-…unbelievable…"

Vale was complete – and better than he remembered it. Many small rivers ran through the plaza, which itself was enlarged and improved. Eighteen building had been erected and completed in the time he was gone. He spotted an inn, many houses, a combined weapon and item shop, and even a library – that building read "Kraden's Cauldron" over the entryway. The fence blocking the hole after the Psynergy Stone had been improved, and even had a small gate for viewers. What's more, in the center of the plaza, a monument had been created, symbolizing the dedication it took to return Alchemy to Weyard. The monument had five points – four lighthouses in four corners, each with a pillar of light converging at the center, which was shown to be Mount Aleph. Radiant light was shown at the peak of the mountain, and – the strongest point of interest – Weyard was made spherical. Whole.

A completed circle.

"I don't…believe it…" Felix muttered, rushing to and fro. He disentangled his hand from Sheba's. "This is…Vale…"

"This is what your home looks like?" the young Anemos inquired, taking in the beauty of the town. She had never actually seen Vale before, and had always wondered how it looked. This completed town exceeded her expectations greatly.

"It's…even better than I remember it…" he murmured. He gently ran his hand across the monument, following the pillar of light that originated from the lighthouse on the bottom-right corner – Venus. "I…I had hoped…to…"

Sheba looked at him quizzically, wondering why he had trailed off. "You had hoped? For what?"

Felix looked at her, and there was a reminiscent sadness in his eyes. "I had hoped to…help with the rebuilding more…to find more of the first Vale. My first home…"

Realization struck Sheba quickly. Felix hadn't actually been able to enjoy Vale since he was taken to Prox at fifteen – nearly four years ago. Given, he had entered the town when he raided Sol Sanctum with Saturos, Menardi, and Alex…it wasn't a time where he could bask in the town's beauty.

"I see…" she began, viewing the monument from the other side.

A sudden creak behind Felix made him turn around, and had him reaching for his sword in an instant. He stayed his instincts, however, when he saw a familiar face. A young female, strong, dangerously pretty, and masterful of fires and fumes. Felix and Sheba were slightly surprised to how distraught she appeared – her eyes were puffed red, as though she had been crying. Her normally thick hair stuck to her forehead, slicked with sweat from stress. He features revealed that she, too, was surprised.

Jenna lacked words. She simply rushed out and embraced her brother. Felix, stunned for a moment, returned the embrace. He realized just then how much he had missed his little sister, and he tightened his hold with all his want to tell of everything that had transpired over the last four months.

"You're…you're home…" Jenna's muffled sobs came through Felix's tunic. Her shoulders trembled. Her face flushed. She pulled back, saw Sheba, and threw herself on the young Jupiter Adept as well. "Both of you…home!"

The two adventurers quietly laughed, comforting the young Vale girl until she stopped her tears. She marveled at how her brother and "sister" looked – both appeared so much older, so much more mature. Behind their eyes, Jenna could see many memories of pain, happiness, and trauma. She wanted to question them, then and there…but knew the hour, and noticed their fatigued state.

She hugged them tighter.

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Felix had his own spot – the same spot he used to use during his fifteen years of youth in Vale. A simple hill, rising up to the West, with a lone tree at the top. The only mountains were many miles away, and this spot gave the perfect vantage point to see the departure of Sol into what only the gods knew where. Here he sat, rubbing his hand in thought, his eyes lost to the fiery skies of Weyard. The rising moon grew small as it drifted away, never to harm him, or his, again.

He had drifted off to a half-sleep twice already, and each time a wind came up, slapping him into wakefulness once more. Both times, he had looked around to spot the possible Sheba, but he saw her neither time.

Sheba didn't feel a Psynergenic greeting was right for this time of dusk. She simply climbed up the hill moments later, calling out an odd comment.

"You want to know what Jenna did?"

Felix didn't turn; rather, he slowly shut his eyes. He enjoyed the sound of her voice, like an angel from the unexplainable. "What did she do?" he called back, merely sticking his hand out to his side, palm up. Sheba's hand took his, and she appeared at his side.

"She had my own room built in with your house."

Felix barely responded to this, as well. He flicked his eyes up at Sheba, gathering her beauty.

"Did she, now?"

Sheba nodded. "It seems she was counting on us finding each other during our…trip. And she was right."

The young Anemos exile sat next to Felix, easing onto his shoulder.

"Good thing, too," she continued. "It looks like I wouldn't have had anywhere else to stay. Other than the mayor's house."

Garet flashed into both of their minds. "Who in the name of Alchemy would want to stay there?" Felix began. "The 'Dull Flame' lives there."

Sheba took a second to process the joke, and giggled. She sighed, keeping her eyes half-open. The setting sun blurred in her sight. Both lovers remained in this form for many moments before Sheba spoke once more.

"Do you think this is the end of our travels, Felix?"

The young man turned to face her. He had been genuinely surprised to hear such a question. His silence prompted her to elaborate.

"Is this the end…of our adventures? Are we never to experience the rush of life again?"

Felix shook his head slowly. "It is never an 'end', Sheba – no such word exists."

Sheba's eyes closed, and the last of the sun's heat began to warm her face.

"Especially for us. We've hardly begun _our_ adventure. The two of us…we're still young and stupid. We're bound to find adventure everyday – or it will find us. You and I…we'll never set as the sun does. We can't. There's too much out in the world, hiding from our light. All we need to do is carry our light to where it is, exposing it, embracing it. Every new day and night is a new adventure, Sheba. All hours are ours for the using. All time, however short, is a gift to all of us. But as for you and I, we simply need to grasp the time given to us. Use it with confidence, and each new adventure will carry us on."

Sheba was stunned into silence by her lover's small speech. Her eyes fluttered, and she wrapped her arm across his back while he rested his behind her neck. She pulled closer to him, uttering a magical phrase.

"I love you."

Felix hadn't heard those words in years. To hear them now, escaping the lips of an angel, was a blessing onto his life. Still, his mind was spent, and his muscles ached. Earlier, he had been bested in both strength of the body and strength of the mind.

Strength of the heart was a different matter.

"I love you, too."

Sol retired underneath the line of mountains in the distance, and the two closed the day with the most passionate kiss they had experienced in their lives.

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The two didn't notice, but they had an audience. The same girl who had jumped on them from many minutes ago, waited and watched from the base of the hill. She stood, her fiery hair waving with the gentle breeze than ran through Vale. There she eyed the happy couple, a saddening envy creeping at her insides. Still, she was proud of her family and friend – no two other people could have been more perfect for each other. As Kraden had mused many months prior… Wind had been proven by the Earth, and the Earth had survived by the Wind.

Jenna was inspired by the two Adepts atop the hill. She smiled, turning away from the wind, looking back to her rebuilt home village. She had an idea for another certain Venus Adept she had travelled with.

She spared one last look to Felix and Sheba, thanking them with her eyes. Jenna breathed deeply to calm her knotting stomach, practiced a couple of lines, and set out to find Isaac.

**End chapter 13**


	14. Epilogue

**The Truth is Painful**

The story of Felix and Sheba, Sandshipped, created by Leoshi!

!Disclaimer! For the umpteenth time, I do not own Golden Sun or anything therein. This story, all original characters, locations, and scenes are mine, so…yeah!

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**Epilogue**

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Many years would follow the Heroes of Weyard, and each new one would come filled with new experiences and challenges. Alliances would be tested, new homes would be made, and people from all over the world – as well as people above it – would learn of the tale of Felix and Sheba.

Kraden's own library, deemed "Kraden's Cauldron," was successful from the start. People from Vault, Kalay, and even Lunpa would come to the old scholar, seeking tomes that covered a wide variety of subjects. Within the building was also a large teaching room, where Kraden spent the better part of his remaining days spreading the knowledge of Alchemy to those just young enough to learn. His life would end happily, many years after the Golden Sun had risen.

Isaac would go on to the remote town of Izumo, forever intent on uncovering the core power of Venus and the earth. He and his wife would stay there for over twenty years, learning more each day. His child, Robin, would learn much of the element, and how his father's comrades had rescued those many distressed in the town.

Jenna would go with him, having married him two years before their move. Through her teachings, the Adepts who resided in Izumo were able to send showers of embers, learning the basics of Mars Psynergy. The new knowledge boosted their own power, which would give way to many more constructive incantations throughout the populace. She would eventually become the Prime Warrioress of the town, and Isaac dared not challenge her.

Garet quickly learned the responsibilities of leadership, and went on to lead the people of Vale in his father's stead some fifteen years following the Anemos' return to Weyard. During those years, he and his father would effectively unite four villages – Vale, Vault, Kalay, and Lunpa – into one trading system. All four towns would prosper greatly, and soon, much of Angara would travel to one of the four to gather resources.

Mia would become the High Priestess of Imil, and would begin her own hospital-oriented town just before the Bilibin Cave. Just in time, it seemed, as a new sickness began to spread in the town of Bilibin. After teaching the technique of Ply to many worthy people, the disease was quickly contained and eradicated. To her inner relief, the hospital didn't have much business following that incident.

Ivan would be released from his servitude to Hammet after his eighteenth. There, he travelled, alone, to the Lama Temple. He reunited with his sister once more, and has become her aide throughout many trials. Through their unclouded eyes, they were able to locate and unveil the precious few oases within the desert, thus aiding the suffering travelers that dared to explore it.

Piers would remain in Yallam, marrying his love with the blessing of his uncle just two years after his ship was returned to him. There, the three would stay, casually bringing rain to the land that so desperately needed it. The residents were happy at the welcome change – even the blacksmith Sunshine would spread his fame across the land, over the mountains and rivers.

As for Felix and Sheba, they would marry nearly three years following their return, on the day of Sheba's eighteenth birthday. She would give birth to twins just two years later – one boy and one girl. The two adventurers would name them Simon and Cheryl. The new family would remain in Vale, keeping themselves as a vital part of the town and the trading circuit until their natural deaths many, many years later.

Their own legend went on across the mountains and oceans, valleys and seas, and all the caves and passes of Weyard. The simple story of how two young friends travelled the world for nothing more than knowledge, intent on finding out what so many people had – a family. Instead, they found each other, and they found the truth. They were not prepared for it.

What they were prepared for was their future. And they knew that nothing could justify the taking of it. They fought against impossible odds for nothing more than to see the sun's continuous rise and fall. They faced death for the sole reason of seeing each other's being for one more day. They showed that hope could remain, even as a shadow among the darkness, when all light has been taken. And until their time came to take them, and their legacy, forever into the world, they _lived_.

This is the story of a young boy who was nearly killed as a teenager, trapped in a cold wasteland until new customs changed him. About how he would face down obvious superiors, for nothing more than to keep the innocent, innocent.

This is the story of a young girl, who never knew the meaning of contribution until she fell off a tower of pure energy. About how she would suffer from several demons, and would face them with the one person who could "prove" her existence.

This is the story of the Truth.

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**The Truth is Painful**

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**End**


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